New study reveals alarmingly high rates of delirium among older hospital patients

An alarming study has uncovered high rates of a worrying illness among hospital patients, with experts warning the issue must be urgently addressed.

Older patients are far more likely to experience delirium during a hospital stay than previously thought, with new research uncovering alarmingly high rates of the condition.

A global study of 12,000 hospital cases, led by Professor Victoria Traynor from the University of the Sunshine Coast, found that 24 per cent of older patients in medical wards had delirium, while an additional 14 per cent developed it after admission.

“Our results are concerning,” Professor Traynor said. “They indicate that many older people admitted to hospital for non-surgical treatment — often for conditions related to the heart, lungs, stomach, and bowels — are also experiencing the complications of delirium. These patients have been neglected.”

“The scale of the problem was a surprise and it clearly identifies a need to expand the professional development of healthcare staff to target delirium symptoms and diagnoses in medical ward patients.”

Older patients are far more likely to experience delirium during a hospital stay than previously thought. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The study, published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies, challenges previous research, which either focused on surgical patients with very high delirium rates or outpatients with rates under four per cent.

And despite being preventable and reversible, Professor Traynor said delirium is often ignored or misdiagnosed as dementia or simply “old age”, leaving many patients without proper care.

“Delirium is sudden and temporary, unlike dementia, which is prolonged and irreversible,” she said. “However, if left untreated, severe or multiple episodes can actually lead to dementia or death.”

Symptoms include confusion, disorientation, memory issues, mood swings, and extreme daytime drowsiness.

Older patients are far more likely to experience delirium during a hospital stay than previously thought. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Professor Traynor warned that healthcare staff must be better trained to recognise and treat delirium before it escalates.

“The scale of the problem was a surprise, and it clearly identifies a need to expand professional development for healthcare workers,” she said. “A nurse doesn’t need expensive equipment to identify delirium — it’s about vigilance and eliminating problems like infection, dehydration, stress, or environmental factors as they arise.”

In the lead-up to World Delirium Awareness Day on March 12, Professor Traynor is urging hospitals and carers to take delirium more seriously. She has worked with the Aged Dementia Health Education and Research team to develop free online resources to help healthcare workers and families better understand the condition.

“Delirium is preventable and reversible,” she said.

“It’s about vigilance and eliminating problems as they occur, whether it’s infection, dehydration, stress or environmental factors.

“It’s time we stop ignoring it.”

Professor Traynor has developed free online resources with the national Aged Dementia Health Education and Research team to improve delirium awareness by the community and the skills and knowledge of health practitioners and care workers.

WHAT IS DELIRIUM?

Delirium is a change in a person’s mental state that happens suddenly over 1-2 days. It’s often the first sign that someone is becoming unwell.

Delirium can look different from one person to the next. Some people may become agitated or distressed while others are drowsy or withdrawn. The common feature to everyone who has delirium is that they become less responsive or alert to things happening around them.

Delirium is not the same as dementia, but they can look similar to someone who doesn’t know the person well. Dementia can make a person much more likely to have delirium.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DELIRIUM?

A person with delirium may:

• be less alert and not respond to things happening around them
• be easily distracted
• be less aware of where they are, or what time it is (disorientation)
• suddenly be less able to do something (for example, walking or eating)
• speak less clearly or struggle to follow a conversation
• have sudden swings in mood or behaviour
• have hallucinations – see or hear things that aren’t real
• have delusions or become paranoid – strongly believing things that are not true.

TREATMENT

The first goal of delirium treatment is to address any causes or triggers. That may include stopping certain medicines, treating an infection or treating an imbalance in the body.

Treatment then focuses on creating the best setting for healing the body and calming the brain.

Originally published as New study reveals alarmingly high rates of delirium among older hospital patients