Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients With Delirium

Abstract

In general, the treatment of delirium is broken down into three parts—psychiatric management, environmental and supportive interventions, and somatic interventions. In the broadest terms, the underlying cause of the delirium should be sought and treated if possible. Behavioral and environmental intervention should be optimized and instituted first. If necessary, to prevent patient distress or harm, pharmacological interventions should be instituted, the mainstay of which is haloperidol therapy.