Causes of Delirium

Delirium is usually a reversible and a temporary condition. When normal functioning of the brain gets impaired it can trigger off a number of malfunctions in brain activity. The causes of delirium can be traced back to factors affecting normal brain functioning such as:

Drug abuse
Alcohol abuse
Drug or alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Imbalances of chemicals or electrolytes in the body
Infections such as pneumonia or urinary tract infection
Poisoning
Surgery or multiple medical procedures
Certain medications such as sleeping pills, narcotic pain relievers, anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, allergy medications and drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease
Multiple medications
Anxiety and stress

There are also a number of factors that increase a person’s chance of developing delirium. The include:

Old age
Dementia
Impairment of vision or hearing
Malnutrition
Dehydration
Any type of severe, chronic or terminal illness
Suffering from multiple medical problems
Certain types of medication (especially if taking multiple medications for different illnesses)
HIV / AIDS
Drug or alcohol abuse

Delirium

Signs & Symptoms