5th June 2023

Causes of delirium

There are multiple other factors which can act as a trigger for delirium in a susceptible individual. The most common triggers in the older population are:

• Constipation
• Urinary retention
• Drugs – an abrupt withdrawal of long-term drugs (e.g. benzodiazepines) or the addition of a new drug which precipitates delirium, such as steroids or opiates.

Other causes include metabolic abnormalities, systemic infections, and vascular events such as a myocardial infarction or stroke.