Am J Psychiatry 1980; 137:1433-1435
Copyright © 1980 by American Psychiatric Association
Stress response syndrome occurring after delirium
TB Mackenzie and MK Popkin
Psychiatric treatment of delirium usually focuses on behavioral management
during the period of cognitive disturbance. Psychological sequelae have
received less attention. The authors suggest that delirium represents a
stressful life event that must be assimilated after the cognitive
impairment has resolved. Such assimilation may be uniquely impaired because
the patient lacks clear and correct information about the event. The
authors propose that the psychiatric care of delirium include facilitation
of the patient's efforts to obtain and assimilate information about the
delirium after its resolution.
