Delirium: prevention, diagnosis and management in hospital and long-term care

Review
London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2023 Jan 18.

Excerpt

This guideline covers diagnosing and treating delirium in people aged 18 and over in hospital and in long-term residential care or a nursing home. It also covers identifying people at risk of developing delirium in these settings and preventing onset. It aims to improve diagnosis of delirium and reduce hospital stays and complications.

For advice on care for people with delirium related to alcohol use (delirium tremens) see the NICE guideline on alcohol-use disorders.

Who is it for?:

  1. NHS staff caring for patients in hospital (including critical care) and long-term residential care settings (including primary care healthcare professionals)

  2. Adults in hospital, long-term residential care or a nursing home who have, or are at high risk of developing, delirium; their family and carers.

Publication types

  • Review