Delirium in Patients with Covid – 19 and its Treatment in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Viktorija Mačiulytė1, Gintarė Iveta Semėnaitė1 1Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania Abstract. The coronavirus (Covid – 19) infection which was first recorded in 2019 and has spread to become a global pandemic since then, does not only cause pneumonia and respiratory failure, but also other systemic lesions and symptoms. Delirium, a non-specific organic brain syndrome, effecting consciousness, perception, causing disturbances in thinking, memory, behaviour and emotions, has been commonly reported in patients with Covid-19 treated in the intensive care units. Delirium increases patient mortality, thus it is important to preserve, prevent and treat this condition. In this article we review Covid-19 infection and its association with delirium and its treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. Aim: to analyse and evaluate the latest information involving delirium and its association with Covid – 19 and treatment of this condition in the ICU. Methods: information for this literature review was collected using keywords related to Covid -19 and delirium in “PubMed” database. Conclusions. As delirium may increase patient mortality, patients should be given preventive measures and effective treatment in a timely manner. Further studies should be performed to identify risk factors for the occurrence of Covid-19 delirium, the most effective preventive measures and treatment. Keywords: delirium, ICU, Covid-19.