Delirium Triples Dementia Risk in Older Adults, New Study Finds
A large study has found that episodes of delirium, characterized by symptoms such as agitation, confusion, and poor focus, are associated with a significantly increased risk of dementia and death in older adults. Researchers analyzed data from over 600,000 patients and found that those who experienced delirium had a 39 percent higher risk of death and three times the risk of being diagnosed with dementia compared to those without delirium. The study highlights the potential link between delirium and dementia, emphasizing the importance of delirium prevention and treatment as opportunities to reduce the global burden of dementia.