Older Adults Who Are Frail More Likely to Experience Delirium After Surgery

A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found a history of delirium, frailty, and cognitive impairment are the risk factors most strongly associated with developing postoperative delirium in older adults, reports EurekAlert . The researchers also cite smoking and the use of psychotropic medications as risk factors. "Chronological age from your birth date is not always an accurate assessment of how you've aged over your lifetime," notes St. Michael's Hospital's Dr. Jennifer Watt. "This study highlights how common delirium is among older adults undergoing elective surgery, and the importance of geriatric syndromes, including frailty, in identifying older adults who may be at risk." The team looked at 41 studies including more than 9,000 individuals 60 years and up and reporting on postoperative delirium after elective surgery. One in six older adults was found to have experienced post-surgical delirium, and older adults with caregiver support were 30 percent less likely to experience delirium than those who did not. "Previous research has shown that when families delivered a non-pharmacological intervention, such as helping to mobilize or orient the older adult, the subject was less likely to experience delirium following hip surgery," Watt says. "What we're seeing in this review may be a result of the fact that they're doing some of these things for their loved ones already."