Geriatric Quick Consult      Patient Can't Sleep      Do #3

Consider delirium in a patient who is agitated and won't sleep



Knowledge Action
EVALUATE A PATIENT WHO IS AGITATED AND WON'T SLEEP

The patient could have delirium, which should be considered an emergency.

Patients with delirium wax and wane in their degree of alertness.

They are often disoriented and confused. This could be a patient with a normal baseline cognitive function plus delirium, or a patient with dementia that now has superimposed delirium.

This could also be a patient with dementia who has "sundowning" exacerbated by a different environment.

Do not assume this is just sundowning though, delirium must be ruled out. See quick consult on delirium for more details.
  • Evaluate agitated patients


  • Rule out delirium
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