Klinik, Diagnostik und Therapie des nicht entzugsbedingten Delirs

Delirium due to a general medical condition is one of the main psychiatric problems in general hospital inpatients. It often complicates the treatment and prognosis of patients with active medical conditions. However, the phenomenology of delirium is heterogeneous and hypoactive subtypes of delirium are frequently under-recognized or misdiagnosed as depression. Although the crucial component in the management of delirium is an aetiological treatment, using antipsychotics to treat disturbing symptoms remains the clinical standard. This article gives an overview of clinical features, diagnosis, and therapy of delirium due to a general medical condition. Furthermore, a German version of the Delirium Rating Scale and treatment approaches in the C-L psychiatry setting of the University of Medicine of Graz are presented.