Delirium and dementia in the peri-operative management of elderly surgical patients

Increasing life expectancy, medication and disease burden, along with decreased functional status and organ reserve, place the elderly surgical patient at high risk for delirium in the peri-operative state. Alcohol abuse and an increased incidence of dementia may confound the picture. This overview describes definition, epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and therapy of delirium and explores the confounding effects of dementia.