Factores predisponentes para el desarrollo de delirium en adultos mayores

Abstract

Objective: To identify the most frequent predisposing factors of Delirium that affect older adults, analyzing scientific articles, guides and norms. Methodology: By reviewing updated and related scientific articles published in Cochrane, Google Scholar, PubMEd databases, among others, with the use of keywords. Development: Delirium in older adults is a pathology that develops in an acute and fluctuating manner, affecting attention, awareness and cognition, due to the interaction between predisposing and precipitating factors in vulnerable older adults. It is one of the most important cognitive disorders in the elderly, due to its prevalence and prognosis, because it represents a high economic and social cost, since those affected require greater care by health workers, with greater risk of falls, hospital stays longer and more institutionalization. Therefore, the need to identify these factors in older adults in our communities, in order to plan and promote their prevention. Conclusions: the most frequent predisposing factors of Delirium in older adults are: age, taking into account that the older, the greater the risk of developing it; sex, frequently affects female sex; chronic diseases poorly controlled; dementia or pre-existing neurological diseases, due to the fact that they lead to cognitive impairment; the same cognitive deterioration of the elderly and the polymedication of which older adults are easy targets, due to their underlying diseases.