Table 3.

Precipitating factors for delirium.

Precipitating Causes for Delirium
Systemic Infection/sepsis Inadequate pain control Trauma Dehydration Hypo- or hyperthermia	Metabolic Thiamine deficiency (Wernicke’s encephalopathy) Hepatic or renal failure Hypo- and hypernatremia Hypo- and hypercalcemia Hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia Thyroid dysfunction
CNS Meningitis/encephalitis Cerebrovascular accident Intracerebral hemorrhage Subarachnoid hemorrage Subdural/epidural hematoma	Cardiopulmonary Acute myocardial infarction Congestive heart failure Hypoxemia Hypercarbia Hypertensive encephalopathy Shock
Medications and Drugs Medications and medication changes Recreational drug use or withdrawal	Iatrogenic Procedures or surgeries Indwelling urinary catheters Physical restraints

Modified from Pun et al, Fearing et al., and the American Psychiatry Association Delirium Guidelines.^46–48