Delirium

Delirium is a common but under-recognized and poorly understood neuropsychiatric syndrome. It is often managed sub-optimally and causes distress, not only for patients but also for family members and supporting staff. It has a diverse multifactorial aetiology and results in cerebral dysfunction. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, and the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision criteria show greater congruence in the neurocognitive symptom profile of disturbance of attention, acute change with fluctuation and impaired cognitions with a variety of symptoms of a non-cognitive nature, including changes in thought processes and perceptual dysfunction.