Infection | Brain
Covid-19 Delirium (Distorted Reality): Its Roots and Aftermaths
Ignoring it bears life-long consequences of brain health.
Contents:
1. Covid-19 Includes Delirium
2. Covid-19 Delirium Was Overlooked
3. How Covid-19 Causes Delirium
4. Prevention vs Treatment
5. Short- and Long-term Consequences of Covid-19 Delirium
6. Could We Do Better From Here On? Covid-19 Includes Delirium
Delirium means disturbed consciousness in the DSM-IV. The DSM-5 now defines delirium as a disorder of attention, awareness, and cognition, and may share symptoms with psychosis such as hallucinations, paranoia, irrational thoughts, and grotesque dreams. The Atlantic reports that a few delirious Covid-19 patients became psychotic. They “may believe their organs are being harvested, or that nurses are torturing them. A spike in fever might feel like being set on fire. An MRI exam might feel like being fed into an oven.”
About 20–30% of Covid-19 patients experience delirium; in severe cases, the number rises to 60–70% regardless of age. This prevalence is consistent with the literature where delirium occurs to 60–70% in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).
