This one asks and answers:
What's the difference between delirium and dementia?
Why do we care about delirium?
Delirium is the single greatest threat to comfort at end of life, and the single biggest obstacle to a peaceful death. If you know how to consistently identify and manage delirium, or even better can prevent or minimize it, you're well on your way to being an awesome clinician or caregiver for patients and families facing serious illness and end of life.
Links:
Inouye, et al - Clarifying confusion: the confusion assessment method. A new method for detection of delirium (PubMed)
Aminoff and Adunsky - Dying dementia patients: too much suffering, too little palliation (PubMed)
Previous posts on delirium:
