Delirium is one type of nervous system or a neurological condition or can also be defined as a severe disturbance in people’s mental abilities that can lead to mental confusion and emotional disruption. If you are suffering from this mental condition, you may find it challenging to think, remember, pay attention, sleep, and more.
In some cases, you may witness delirium after surgery, with dementia, or during alcohol withdrawal. This condition can be caused due to different factors, for example, exposure to particular medications, older age, surgery or different medical procedures, alcohol abuse, and more. However, it may be noted that this mental condition is generally temporary and can be treated correctly.
Diagnosis of delirium
To diagnosis delirium, a doctor, based on medical history, will carry out different tests to assess the mental status. After that, they will detect the possible contributing factors. A test may include:
- Physical and neurological exams
The doctor will carry out a physical exam to check the signs of health problems or underlying disease. Besides, a neurological exam will also be conducted to check the vision, balance, coordination, and reflexes. With this, they can identify if a stroke or other mental conditions are causing the issue.
- Mental status assessment
Under this, your doctor will begin by assessing your thinking, attention, and awareness abilities. This can be carried out informally with the help of conversation or by screenings that can effectively assess the current mental condition, memory, or perception. Besides, the doctor may seek a few additional information from the caregivers or family members.
- Some other tests
Under this, your doctor may conduct an order for urine, blood, and other diagnostic tests. In some cases, the doctor can conduct a brain-imaging test when the diagnosis cannot be performed with other available information.
Different types of delirium
Delirium condition can be categorized based on its causes, severity, and characteristics. Some of the significant types of delirium are:
- Delirium tremens
This is a severe form of this condition and is generally experienced by people who want to stop drinking. They have been drinking alcohol regularly for many years. And now their brain is not accepting the changes.
- Hyperactive delirium
This condition is characterized by being uncooperative, and you will become more alert about a different situation, taking unnecessary stress.
- Hypoactive delirium
This is very common among people. In such a condition, you will prefer to sleep more. Gradually, you will become an inattentive and disorganized person. You may also miss your appointments.
Some people have a combination of different types of delirium, alternating between the two conditions.
The current condition of delirium
The global delirium market is significantly propelled by the rising prevalence of neurological disorders and the increasing population of older people. As per a market report, in the year 2017, more than 960 million people were aged over 60 in the USA and globally. However, the experts have predicted that by the end of 2050, that number can reach more than 1000 million. The rising aging population is projected to trigger the growth of this market.
