Improving the Global Management of Delirium in Acute Stroke Patients

A Proposal for Research and Action

Delirium in Stroke Care

Project members:

Stefan T. Gerner (Germany), Faddo G. Saleh Velez (USA), Maria Gulia Mosconi (Italy), Leonardo A Carbonera (Brazil), Abdul Hanif Khan Bin Yusof Khan (Malaysia), Tamer Roushdy (Egypt), Yperzeele Laetitita (Belgium), Jatinder S. Minhas (UK), Susanna M. Zuurbier (Netherlands), Mirjam Heldner (Switzerland), Bogdan Ciopleias (Romania), Teresa Ullberg (Sweden), and Christine Tunkl (Germany)

Delirium, a sudden disruption in attention, thinking, and consciousness, affects 25-48% of stroke patients, rising to 60% in older individuals. This condition extends hospital stays, increases complications and mortality, and leads to functional decline and potential long-term cognitive issues like dementia. Managing delirium in stroke care is resource-intensive, elevating healthcare costs. It complicates communication, hampers rehabilitation participation, and stresses nursing care due to symptoms like restlessness. Globally, the approach to delirium varies, influenced by cultural and economic factors.

Our goal is to gather data to highlight the challenges of delirium in stroke care, identify areas where stroke care professionals need more guidance, and provide better support and understanding for managing delirium in stroke patients.

Our strategy includes three key steps:

1. We're conducting a survey among stroke care experts, nurses, and therapists from various areas. The aim is to understand how they currently handle delirium in stroke patients and the challenges they face. We'll also gather views from patients and their families to get a comprehensive picture.

2. We're working on creating and testing a set of guidelines based on solid evidence. These guidelines will focus on how to diagnose and treat delirium in patients after a stroke. Our goal is to enhance the care of delirium in stroke patients worldwide.

3. After implementing these guidelines, we'll do a follow-up survey with the same healthcare professionals. This will help us confirm the effectiveness of our new approach in managing post-stroke delirium.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Stefan.Gerner@neuro.med.uni-giessen.de

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