http://gata.friendlinkup.com/ Providing extraordinary senior home care in Seguin, Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Schertz id http://gata.friendlinkup.com/2008/10/15/new-braunfels-home-care-for-seniors.html Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin - call us at 830-624-8380. Delirium Provides Clue To Underlying Medical Problems While delirium is a common problem among hospitalized patients, people over age 65 are especially vulnerable. It’s estimated that delirium occurs in 15 to 53 percent of older patients following operations as well as in more than 70 percent of patients in intensive care. Delirium, defined as an acute modification of mental status, can show up as sudden inattention, disorganized thinking, disorientation or agitation. Unlike dementia, it occurs suddenly, as well as an estimated all often it’s temporary. It also can signal an underlying medical problem, such as an infection or medication reaction. “What makes delirium so upsetting on behalf of families is that its symptoms come as well as go; a family member might seem calm as well as aware one moment, but agitated as well as confused the next,” Kara Kaldawi, a geriatric advanced practice nurse at Care Connection, writes in an article on CentralJersey.com. A patient’s mental status shall improve as delirium is recognized as well as its underlying cause is treated. “Families as well as friends can help by being aware of any changes in mental status,” Kaldawi writes. “The sooner they notice as well as report a change, the sooner delirium’s underlying cause can be treated.”        Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:59:31 -0400 gata