Experiencing Delirium After Surgery Might Be An Early Warning Sign Of Dementia
'This important research identifies a significant risk factor for developing dementia.'
Press Association
Delirium after undergoing surgery can triple the chances of older patients developing dementia, research has shown.
The disturbed mental state, marked by confusion and disorganised thinking, affects up to 56% of elderly patients admitted to hospital.
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Scientists followed the progress of 1,152 cognitively “normal” individuals over the age of 65 for 10 years after they underwent surgery requiring a general anaesthetic.
Those who suffered postoperative delirium were three times more likely to be diagnosed with permanent cognitive decline or dementia than patients who experienced no disturbance after their surgery.
Postoperative delirium could be a warning sign of trouble ahead for patients just above the threshold for mental decline, researchers said.
Lead scientist Professor Juraj Sprung, from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, US, said: “Our research shows that delirium after surgery is not only distressing for patients and their families, but also may be a warning that patients could later develop dementia.
“We don’t yet know whether taking steps to prevent postoperative delirium could also help prevent dementia, but we need to find out.”
The findings are reported in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.
Professor Hugh Hemmings, editor-in-chief of the journal, said: “This important research identifies a significant risk factor for developing dementia postoperatively, and highlights the need for more research in preventing, identifying and treating postoperative delirium.”
Early Symptoms of Dementia
No Initiative (01 of10)
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At times everyone can become tired of housework, business activities, or social obligations. However a person with dementia may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual, or appear to lose interest in hobbies. (credit:John Rensten via Getty Images)
Changes in Personality (02 of10)
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A person with dementia may seem different from his or her usual self in ways that are difficult to pinpoint. A person may become suspicious, irritable, depressed, apathetic or anxious and agitated especially in situations where memory problems are causing difficulties. (credit:fStop Images - Carl Smith via Getty Images)
Mood Changes(03 of10)
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Everyone can become sad or moody from time to time. A person with dementia may become unusually emotional and experience rapid mood swings for no apparent reason. Alternatively a person with dementia may show less emotion than was usual previously. (credit:Mike Chick via Getty Images)
Misplace Things (04 of10)
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Anyone can temporarily misplace his or her wallet or keys. A person with dementia may put things in unusual places such as an iron in the fridge or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. (credit:Oli Kellett via Getty Images)
Problems With Keeping Track of Things (05 of10)
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A person with dementia may find it difficult to follow a conversation or keep up with paying their bills. (credit:Chris Red via Getty Images)
Increasingly poor Judgement(06 of10)
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People with dementia may dress inappropriately, wearing several layers of clothes on a warm day or very few on a cold day. (credit:Jessica Peterson via Getty Images)
Distortion of Time and Place (07 of10)
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We sometimes forget the day of the week or where we are going but people with dementia can become lost in familiar places such as the road they live in, forget where they are or how they got there, and not know how to get back home. A person with dementia may also confuse night and day. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Problems With Language(08 of10)
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Occasionally everyone has trouble finding the right word but a person with dementia often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words, making speech or writing hard to understand. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks(09 of10)
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People with dementia often find it hard to complete everyday tasks that are so familiar we usually do not think about how to do them. A person with dementia may not know in what order to put clothes on or the steps for preparing a meal. (credit:Anthony Harvie via Getty Images)
Memory Loss(10 of10)
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Declining memory, especially short-term memory, is the most common early symptom of dementia. People with ordinary forgetfulness can still remember other facts associated with the thing they have forgotten. For example, they may briefly forget their next-door neighbour's name but they still know the person they are talking to is their next-door neighbour. A person with dementia will not only forget their neighbour's name but also the context. (credit:Compassionate Eye Foundation via Getty Images)