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tal confusion
Mental confusion
–T he c linic a l p ic tur e inc lud e s :
d is or ie nta tion in tim e a nd s p a c e ;
– im p a ir e d c ons c ious ne s s ;
– c onc e ntr a tion p r oble m s ;
– m e m or y im p a ir m e nt.
T he s e s ym p tom s d e v e lop r a p id ly (hour s or d a ys ), a nd ofte n fluc tua te d ur ing the
c our s e
of the d a y.
A gita tion , d e lus ion s , be h a v iour a l d is or d e r s a n d h a lluc in a t ion s ( ofte n v is ua l)
m ay
c om p lic a te the p ic tur e .
– I nfe c tious : m e ningitis , c e r e br a l m a la r ia , e nc e p ha litis , s e p tic a e m ia , s yp hilis , A ID
M e nta l c onfus ion a lm os t a lw a ys ha s a n or ga nic c a us e :
– EM nedtaobcorlicne: h: ythpyer ori/dhdypisoogrlydc ea resm ia , e le c tr olyte im ba la n c e , n ia c in or B 1
d e fic ie n c ie s ,
e tc .
– N e ur ologic a l: e p ile p s y, r a is e d in t r a c r a n ia l p r e s s ur e , h e a d t r a um a ,
m e n in ge a l
ha e m or r ha ge , br a in tum our , e tc .
A ls o c ons id e r tr e a tm e nt a d v e r s e e ffe c ts (c or tic os te r oid s , op ioid a na lge s ic s ,
p s yc hotr op ic
d r ugs , e t c .) , us e of t oxic s ubs t a n c e s ( a lc oh ol/ d r ugs ) , or w it h d r a w a l fr om
the se
s ubs ta nc e s (s e e delirium tremens, p a ge 2 9 3 ).
Management
M e nta l c onfus ion r e q uir e s hos p ita lis a tion. T r e a t the und e r lying c a us e .
Mental confusion
–T he c linic a l p ic tur e inc lud e s :
d is or ie nta tion in tim e a nd s p a c e ;
– im p a ir e d c ons c ious ne s s ;
– c onc e ntr a tion p r oble m s ;
– m e m or y im p a ir m e nt.
T he s e s ym p tom s d e v e lop r a p id ly (hour s or d a ys ), a nd ofte n fluc tua te d ur ing the
c our s e
of the d a y.
A gita tion , d e lus ion s , be h a v iour a l d is or d e r s a n d h a lluc in a t ion s ( ofte n v is ua l)
m ay
c om p lic a te the p ic tur e .
– I nfe c tious : m e ningitis , c e r e br a l m a la r ia , e nc e p ha litis , s e p tic a e m ia , s yp hilis , A ID
M e nta l c onfus ion a lm os t a lw a ys ha s a n or ga nic c a us e :
– EM nedtaobcorlicne: h: ythpyer ori/dhdypisoogrlydc ea resm ia , e le c tr olyte im ba la n c e , n ia c in or B 1
d e fic ie n c ie s ,
e tc .
– N e ur ologic a l: e p ile p s y, r a is e d in t r a c r a n ia l p r e s s ur e , h e a d t r a um a ,
m e n in ge a l
ha e m or r ha ge , br a in tum our , e tc .
A ls o c ons id e r tr e a tm e nt a d v e r s e e ffe c ts (c or tic os te r oid s , op ioid a na lge s ic s ,
p s yc hotr op ic
d r ugs , e t c .) , us e of t oxic s ubs t a n c e s ( a lc oh ol/ d r ugs ) , or w it h d r a w a l fr om
the se
s ubs ta nc e s (s e e delirium tremens, p a ge 2 9 3 ).
Management
M e nta l c onfus ion r e q uir e s hos p ita lis a tion. T r e a t the und e r lying c a us e .
