Treatment for Delirium
Post Operative Delirium Study
See full descriptionAbout the trial for Delirium
Treatment Groups
This trial involves 2 different treatments. Treatment is the primary treatment being studied. Participants will all receive the same treatment. Some patients will receive a placebo treatment. The treatments being tested are in Phase 1 & 2 and have already been tested with other people.
Eligibility
This trial is for patients born any sex aged 65 and older. There are 2 eligibility criteria to participate in this trial as listed below.
Approximate Timelines
Measurement Requirements
This trial is evaluating whether Treatment will improve 1 primary outcome and 1 secondary outcome in patients with Delirium. Measurement will happen over the course of 6 hours post diagnosis.
Who is running the study
Principal InvestigatorPatient Q & A Section
What are common treatments for delirium?
More than half of all patients with delirium experience recurrent relapses. Cognitive therapies, such as CBT, are the most commonly used. In view of the benefits and low cost of these interventions, it is important to implement them as routine treatment in psychiatric settings.
What causes delirium?
Delirium is primarily caused by comorbid diseases. These comorbidities can lead to the initiation of delirium and should therefore be addressed to limit its progress and potential complications.
What is delirium?
Delirium should be recognized when patients with delirium exhibit (1) an unusual change in awareness and behavior, (2) confusion, (3) stupor, (4) visual or auditory hallucinations, and (5) amnesia which cannot be explained by any known illness or medication.
How many people get delirium a year in the United States?
As of 2000, approximately 21% of inpatients are affected by delirium, and more than 16% have a diagnosis of dementia; however, only 32% of these patients will develop a diagnosis of delirium during hospitalization. Further research is needed to assess the long-term consequences of delirium in US hospital patients and to develop interventions to prevent delirium in the hospital setting.
Can delirium be cured?
Results from a recent clinical trial of this analysis suggest that delirium treatment using antipsychotic agents can be effective and well-tolerated in hospitalized older trauma patients.
What are the signs of delirium?
In order to identify delirium or its early manifestation, health care providers must be aware of the following: rapid onset and short duration of delirium, poor or changing ability to take a dose, and a deteriorating quality of self and/or consciousness.
Does delirium run in families?
While the family history of delirium is not a prerequisite for diagnosis of delirium, this study highlights the importance of the environment in determining symptoms of delirium in the individual patient.
What is treatment?
There is no current consensus on the proper therapy for the most common causes of delirium. No consensus as to the diagnosis and treatment of dementing illnesses like Alzheimer's disease and dementia. No consensus as to care for elders with cognitive impairments from a variety of causes. These are some of the unresolved issues in nursing homes and assisted living, and in many parts of the United States, the future of long-term care in these settings are jeopardized. In some states the state and federal government, nursing homes, assisted living, senior housing, nursing/geriatric units, and long-term health care will be devastated.
How does treatment work?
At baseline, treatment is not as efficacious in older adults with delirium as in younger adults. After adjusting for age difference, however, treatment is more efficacious. The lack of treatment effect in older adults is due, in part, to the absence of baseline differences in distress, and it is possible that treatment will show a more definitive effect if given soon after admission or hospital discharge.
Who should consider clinical trials for delirium?
Clinicians and other members of the health care team caring for non-advanced patients are the most effective individuals to recruit into clinical trials. Caregivers and other members of the health care team caring for advanced patients are the least effective individuals to recruit.
Is treatment safe for people?
Due to the relatively high rates of treatment-related adverse events in persons with dementia, it is important to note that it is not necessary to stop therapy with a dementia-specific medication based on recent data; rather, people and families should consider treatment for the individual's current needs and tolerability of the medication. Patients with severe dementia and/or other serious illnesses (e.g., stroke or heart disease) should be excluded from participating in studies because they are at a greater risk for serious adverse events.
What does treatment usually treat?
If you take medication to control anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances, it has been shown to control the symptoms of delirium. Treat the actual symptoms you suffer from. [Sleep issues and anxiety|Depressive disorder|Disruptive sleep architecture can be dealt with by the sleep hygiene plan and [drug protocol] from your doctor. Treating your sleep pattern can be dealt with by sleep hygiene plan and [sleep medication]. Treating your anxiety by a psychological or pharmacological option or to reduce stress by mindfulness training and [stress management/cognitive-behavioral therapy] will help control the stress associated with delirium. Treat your depression with treatment plans for depression, including antidepressant medications.