DELIRIUM IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS: PREDISPOSING FACTORS, RECOGNITION, AND PREVENTION

Authors

  • Rafaella Yokota Guedes
  • Amanda Estéphane da Costa Pinto
  • Carlos Humberto de Sousa Neto
  • Frederico Souza Silva
  • Vítor Morais Machado
  • Karine Harumi de Castro Shimasaki
  • Gabriel Ferreira de Sena Pedro
  • Bruna Alves Ferreira
  • Marina Curado Taveira
  • Amanda Fernandes Borges de Araújo Batista

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63330/sasciencesv6n2-233

Keywords:

Diagnosis, Delirium, Hospitalization, Prevention, Risk factors

Abstract

Delirium in hospitalized patients is characterized by acute and fluctuating changes in attention, awareness, and cognition, resulting from the interaction between pre-existing vulnerability and triggering factors. This study presents a narrative literature review and aims to analyze the predisposing and precipitating factors, recognition, and prevention strategies for this syndrome in hospitalized adults. The methodology comprises a targeted consultation of publications indexed in PubMed and institutional guidelines, with the selection of seven documents published between 2018 and 2025 and a qualitative synthesis of the findings. The analysis identifies pre-existing cognitive impairment, comorbidities, acute illnesses, and medication exposure among the factors associated with delirium. Recognition requires attention to hypoactive manifestations and the use of assessment tools appropriate to the care setting. The synthesis indicates evidence supporting multicomponent non-pharmacological prevention in patients outside intensive care, with an estimated relative reduction of 43% in syndrome occurrence, without conclusive evidence of a mortality benefit. The discussion emphasizes the limitations of extrapolating these findings to critically ill patients and of indiscriminately adopting pharmacological interventions. The study concludes that care should integrate individualized risk assessment, monitoring of mental status, and implementation of preventive measures, while considering clinical characteristics and the limitations of the available evidence.

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References

BURTON, J. K. et al. Non-pharmacological interventions for preventing delirium in hospitalised non-ICU patients. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, n. 11, art. CD013307, 2021. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013307.pub3. Disponível em: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34826144/. Acesso em: 3 out. 2026.

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NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CARE EXCELLENCE. Delirium: prevention, diagnosis and management in hospital and long-term care. London: NICE, 2023. Clinical guideline CG103. Publicação original de 2010, atualizada em 18 jan. 2023. Disponível em: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg103. Acesso em: 3 out. 2026.

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Published

2026-10-16

How to Cite

Guedes, R. Y. ., Pinto, A. E. da C. ., de Sousa Neto, C. H. ., Silva, F. S. ., Machado, V. M. ., Shimasaki, K. H. de C. ., Pedro, G. F. de S. ., Ferreira, B. A. ., Taveira, M. C. ., & Batista, A. F. B. de A. . (2026). DELIRIUM IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS: PREDISPOSING FACTORS, RECOGNITION, AND PREVENTION . South American Sciences, 6(2), e26460. https://doi.org/10.63330/sasciencesv6n2-233

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): South American Sciences

Section

Artigos

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