General Information About Delirium Key Points for This Section -
Muscle control. - Sleeping and waking. There are three types of
delirium: - Hypoactive: The patient is not active and seems
sleepy, tired, or depressed. - Hyperactive: The patient is
restless or agitated. - Mixed: The patient changes back and
forth between being hypoactive and hyperactive. The symptoms of
delirium usually occur suddenly. They often occur within hours
or days and may come and go. Delirium is often temporary and can
be treated. However, in the last 24 to 48 hours of life,
delirium may be permanent because of problems like organ
failure. Most advanced cancer patients have delirium that occurs
in the last hours to days before death. This summary is about
delirium in adults.