What is an acute confusional state ?
An acute confusional state is a sudden onset of consciousness and concentration troubles.
Warning signs and symptoms:
- Disorientation in time and space
- Lack of concentration
- Delayed reactions
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Aggressiveness
- Apathy
- Agitation
- Lack of sleep/insomnia
- Abnormal and inappropiate stereotypical movements
Probable causes :
One or more triggers such as:
- Infection
- Pain
- Withdrawal (alcohol, cigarettes, medication…)
- Medication
- Unusual surroundings
- Surgery
- State after resuscitation
- Excess of Stimuli (light, noise, catheters, monitoring…)
- Immobility
- Difficulty in communication (language, hearing aids, glasses…)
- Dehydration
- Stress
Who is at risk of developing an acute confusional state?
In principle: everyone
Favourable factors : old age and dementia
What can we do?
- Prevention
- Treat the causes
- Early recognition
- Elimination of disturbances (Day/Night rhythm, noise…)
- Encourage Orientation in time and place, propose clues (clock, calendar…)
- Implement medication if necessary
- Pain treatment
- Encourage fast mobility recovery
What to avoid as much as possible?
- Selfharm and foreign injuries
- Additional medication
- Immobilization of limbs and body
What can you do?
- Speak slowly and clearly
- Use short sentences
- Keep calm and friendly
- Remind them of the date, time and place
- Bring personal belongings such as glasses, hearing aids, dentures, toiletries, perfume, shaving gel
- Create familiar surroundings
- Avoid too many visitors
- Do not be too demanding or impatient
- Avoid conflict and long discussions
- Take part in a diary
TALK TO US, SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS WITH US. THE ACUTE CONFUSIONAL STATE IS REVERSIBLE AND TRANSIENT. REPERCUSSIONS ARE RARE.
Hôpitaux Robert Schuman
9, Rue Edward Steichen, L-2540 Luxembourg
T +352 286 911
www.facebook.com/hopitauxrobertschuman
www.stg.hopitauxschuman.lu
hopital kirchberg’s intensive care unit
9, rue Edward Steichen
L-2540 Luxembourg
Tél : (+352) 286 2 5370
Fax : (+352) 286 2 5347
Visiting hours :
de 12h30 à 13h30
de 18h00 à 19h30
Zithaklinik’s intensive care unit
36, rue de Ste Zithe
L-2763 Luxembourg
Tél : (+352) 286 3 4540
Fax : (+352) 286 3 5920
Visiting hours :
de 12h30 à 13h00
de 18h00 à 19h00