DELIRIUM-PHARMACOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT

SUMMARY

1. Treat precipitating causes, e.g. antibiotics to treat infections.

2. Pharmacological management for agitation, e.g. risperidone. Use sparingly, at low doses for few days.

3. Melatonin may assist sleep.

4. Benzodiazepines and cholinesterase inhibitors may worsen delirium, hence should be suspended if the patient was already on them.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].