DELIRIUM POST CARDIAC SURGERY: REVIEW ON EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS

Background: Delirium is a multifaceted condition in which the exact pathophysiology is still unknown. There are enormous risk factors associated with the development of delirium. Post cardiac surgery delirium is prevalent. Aim: This literature review is aimed to identify the incidence and associated risk factors of delirium among the population of post cardiac surgery adult patients. Methods: Literature search was carried out on CINAHL, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Ovid, and Science Direct. The searching timeframe has been limited between the years 2012 and 2017. Findings: Thirteen studies were included in the final review. Incidence of delirium post cardiac surgery varied from 4.1% up to 68%. Post cardiac surgery delirium associated risk factors are categorized as preoperative, intraoperative, and post operative risk factors. Among the most frequently associated factors are advancement of age, stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, history of diabetes mellitus, prolonged Cardio Pulmonary Bypass (CPB) time, time spent on mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, and transfusion of blood and it is products. Conclusion: There is a gap in the estimated incidence of delirium post cardiac surgery patients in addition to varied identified risk factors, because of the use of different diagnostic tools and protocols for delirium assessment. There is a need for a unified, standardized tool for delirium assessment among this population.