risk and precipitating factors
Most elderly patients will have multiple risk factors making them
more susceptible to delirium (see Table 2). Vulnerability is also
increased when multiple precipitating factors are present, or if the
precipitating insult is particularly severe. It is impossible to list all
of the conditions and stressors that may precipitate delirium, but
the most common (and most relevant to an elderly population) are
listed in Table 3. Delirium is often the only sign of an underlying
serious medical illness in an elderly patient and, therefore,
particular attention should be made to identifying and correcting
these factors if at all possible.