5th June 2023

Types of delirium

There are three types of delirium: hypoactive, hyperactive and mixed type. In hypoactive delirium, the clinical features include apathy and hypersomnia with reduced appetite and oral intake. This type is the most easily missed amongst hospital inpatients and, therefore, underdiagnosed. It also has the worst prognosis. In the hyperactive type of delirium, the patient is agitated, restless and can have paranoid or persecutory delusions and hallucinations. Behaviour can become aggressive, necessitating the use of antipsychotic agents to reduce the risk of harm to the patient or others around them. The mixed type of delirium contains features of both hypoactive and hyperactive delirium.