What is the first treatment for delirium?
The first step in treatment is to determine the possible cause(s) and treat as required. Medications may be used after considering the cause(s) and clinical presentation.
Are patient outcomes better if we treat their delirium with antipsychotic medications?
At the present time , we do not know whether treating delirium with antipsychotic medications will result in better patient outcomes.
My patient is being treated for delirium. Can the ICDSC be used to titrate antipsychotic medications?
While the patient's behaviour may improve, causing the ICDSC score to fall during the treatment of delirium, we do not know if there is a correlation between the ICDSC score and the degree of delirium. More research is needed to answer this question.
My patient was diagnosed with delirium and is now receiving regular antipsychotic medications. She now has an ICDSC of 1-3. Is her delirium resolved?
We do know the correct interpretation of these changes. The patient may still be experiencing delirium that is being masked by medication or the patient may have subsyndromal delirium. More research is needed to correlate changes in the clinical scores to the delirium trajectory.
