Link between intensive care (ICU) and dementia

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Huynh Kim Long - Emergency Resuscitation Doctor - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital. Dr. Huynh Kim Long has extensive experience in the treatment of Resuscitation - Emergency and Acute Stroke in adults.
ICU delirium is a serious confusion that can happen to people in the intensive care unit of the ICU. This condition can lead to long-term brain health problems, including dementia.

1. ICU and brain

Intensive care (ICU) is usually for patients who need round-the-clock care. For people who have a serious illness or life-threatening injury and need to undergo major surgery, there is a high chance that they will be moved to the ICU during the first phase of their recovery.
People in intensive care are often given strong medications. In addition, they may also have certain conditions that affect their brain's chemical messages or the amount of oxygen transported to their brain. These can have a negative effect on the way the brain processes information or balances moods. Moreover, they also make the way you think, communicate and see the world around you become more distorted or difficult. This condition is called delirium.

When you are delirious, you often don't know where you are, or your location, or even speak clearly to people who want to help you. It is also described as being in a nightmare, making you feel afraid of everything around you. Some common signs of delirium include:
Confusion about time Difficulty concentrating Unable to remember things Sudden mood swings.

2. Long-term effects of delirium

Delirium is usually a temporary condition, but it can take up to several days or weeks for it to go away completely. Some studies have shown it can lead to health problems even after a person is discharged from the hospital. Statistically, more than a third of people recovering from serious illnesses requiring intensive care in the ICU have some difficulty thinking clearly, remembering, organizing things, or solving the following problems: there.
In addition, up to 75% of people who come out of intensive care develop signs of dementia, meaning a permanent loss of some mental ability, such as memory. and communicate.
Health professionals still don't know the exact cause of this problem, but your risk seems to be higher when you use sleeping pills for a long time. In addition, people who have serious illnesses such as sepsis, kidney failure, brain disorders, or have had heart surgery may have a higher rate of dementia afterward.

3. Prevention and treatment

ICU delirium and other long-term health problems are closely linked, so doctors have devised measures to help prevent problems or control them in the first place. These measures include:
Look for signs of pain or discomfort in patients who are unable to speak Using pain relievers that may be less likely to cause delirium Create a quiet resting environment for the patient, avoid frequent disturbances Help the patient stop using the ventilator as soon as possible Try to get the patient up and physically active earlier Get support from family members.

ICU delirium can lead to long-term brain health problems, including dementia. Therefore, people in special care need to be treated at reputable hospitals with modern facilities, a team of experienced and qualified medical professionals.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a high-quality medical facility in Vietnam with a team of highly qualified medical professionals, well-trained, domestic and foreign, and experienced.
A system of modern and advanced medical equipment, possessing many of the best machines in the world, helping to detect many difficult and dangerous diseases in a short time, supporting the diagnosis and treatment of doctors the most effective. The hospital space is designed according to 5-star hotel standards, giving patients comfort, friendliness and peace of mind.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com