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Association Between Psychoactive Medications and Delirium in Hospitalized Patients: A Critical Review

Received May 5, 2004; revision received Oct. 4, 2004; accepted Oct. 28, 2004. From Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de L’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Quebec City, Canada; the Department of Psychiatry, L’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Quebec City, Canada; the Faculties of Pharmacy and Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada; the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University; Maison Michel Sarrazin, Quebec City, Canada; and Centre de Recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Quebec City, Canada. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Gagnon, L’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, 11 Côte du Palais, Quebec City, Que., Canada; pierre.gagnon{at}crhdq.ulaval.ca (e-mail).

Psychoactive medications are often reported as delirium risk factors in hospitalized patients, and delirium induced by medication is potentially avoidable. The authors critically reviewed the evidence for a role of medications in delirium etiology. Only a few positive associations were noted. Use of psychoactive medications, considered together as a single variable, and use of opioids increased the risk of delirium. Data were scarce and sometimes conflicting, and methodological limitations were often present. The suspected association between psychoactive drugs and delirium cannot be unambiguously confirmed with current epidemiological evidence. The interpretation of these results must take into account the limitations of published studies, which should be addressed in future research.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-D. Gaudreau, P. Gagnon, F. Harel, M.-A. Roy, and A. Tremblay Psychoactive Medications and Risk of Delirium in Hospitalized Cancer Patients J. Clin. Oncol., September 20, 2005; 23(27): 6712 - 6718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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