Scary stuff. A friend had a knee replacement surgery.
The operation was fine, but days later he is still talking about the bandits who broke his knee. He wants his wife to call the police and report the attack. But no one attacked him and he is in a good hospital with good scare. But he sounds as is has become unhinged.
Not to worry, says a veteran doctor. The patient is 80 years old, and what happened to him is a frequent occurrence with older patient. The delirium can last for a week.
“Up to 50% of older adults who undergo surgical procedures develop delirium—a disturbance in attention and awareness accompanied by changes in cognition.,” says the Journal of Family Practice. “Older adults are at heightened risk for this postoperative complication for several reasons. For one thing, older patients have a reduced capacity for homeostatic regulation when they undergo anesthesia and surgery. For another, age-related changes in brain neurochemistry and drug metabolism increase the likelihood of adverse drug effects, including those that could precipitate delirium.”
Medications can often be the cause, the Journal warns.
“ Approximately 40% of cases of delirium are related to medication use. Commonly used postop medications such as analgesics, sedatives, proton pump inhibitors, and others can cause delirium. Carefully review the patient’s medication list.”
Delirium is a special, common problem for older patients, according to Harvard Health publishing.
“It’s the most common complication of hospitalization among people ages 65 and over: 20% of those admitted to hospitals, up to 60% of those who have certain surgeries, and almost 80% of those treated in ICUs develop delirium. When hospital delirium isn’t recognized, it can hinder recovery. Prolonged delirium is associated with poor long-term outcomes (mental and physical) and a higher mortality rate. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid delirium or minimize its impact.”
Talk with the doctors treating your loved one.Make sure they know all the medications the patient has been taking. Add if these can be contributors to the delirium. Be patient and don’t panic. The confusion and delirium should be gone in a week.
