Potential Delirium Contributing Drugs
Medical causes of delirium
Environmental causes of delirium
Altered level of consciousness
Not just lethargic/stuporous/coma
CAM criteria for delirium
Acute onset with a fluctuating course and Inattention
and one of the following
Vegan with delirium
Vit B12 deficiency
Treatment for delirium
Non-pharmacologic
Pharmacologic = Last resort
Aphasia
Aphasia = loss of ability to use language
Wernicke’s Aphasia:
Broca’s Aphasia:
Apraxia
Agnosia:
Disturbed executive functioning-complex thinking:
Apraxia:
Agnosia:
- Inability to recognize specific visual stimuli in the absence of visual impairment
Disturbed executive functioning-complex thinking:
- Inability to plan and sequence events
Normal aging vs cognitive impairment
Normal Aging:
Mild Cognitive Impairment:
- permanently forgotten and is unaware they forgot it
Dementia is defined by impairment in at least 2 cognitive domains:
Dementia’s Key Features of Diagnosis
Gradual onset (months/years)
Types of dementia in order of frequency
Alzheimer’s Disease
MCC of dementia but is a Dx of exclusion
Classic triad
Lewy Body Dementia
2nd MC cause of Dementia (AD #1)
1 of 4 present = suggestive; 2 of 4 present = probable
Supported Features:
Vascular Dementia
Memory Impairments may be less severe, with “patchy” deficits.
- Brocas aphasia is prominent
FrontoTemporal Dementia (Picks Disease)
Develops younger (50s)
Behavioral Variant (Picks) Highly specific Sx
Language Variant
Dementia; Treatment of cognitive impairment
Cholinestarase Inhibitors
NMDA antagonist
Vascular Dementia Treatment
- aspirin, clopidogrel
Treatment of Behavioral Problems with dementia
Haloperidol is IM, more of an acute setting Tx
Strokes
Ischemic (MC) or hemorrhagic
Cincinnati stroke scale (1 of 3 = 72% probability)
Aspirin, plavix
Parkinson Disease Dx
2nd MC neurodegenerative disorder (AD#1)
Parkinson Disease Treatment
Levodopa:
Carbidopa:
- Prevents peripheral conversion to dopamine
Pramipexole, ropinirole
- Dopamine agonists
Drugs capable of inducing secondary parkinson
Anti emetics
Antipsychotics
Both are dopamine receptor blocking agents