Preventing delirium in older people

Delirium is a geriatric syndrome, characterized by acutely altered mental status with inattention, fluctuating course and global cognitive dysfunction, which is associated with a significant burden in terms of negative outcomes and costs of care. Delirium is frequently undetected despite its prevalence and incidence are relevant. In this brief report, we report the state of the art in terms of prevention for both medical and surgical patients. A non-pharmacological approach seems to be the more promising method to prevent delirium and improve quality of care for people at risk.