Taking Charge | Good Medical Care for the Elderly and How To Get It

Because delirium can be fatal if the underlying causes are untreated and because an inappropriate diagnosis of dementia may result in failure to treat those underlying causes, it is imperative that delirium and its causes be detected. The following checklist will help you ensure that all diagnostic tests are done. Make sure that you put a copy of this checklist in the three-ring binder in which you are building your loved one’s medical history.

Standard Diagnostic Tests - Unexplained Delirium

Laboratory Test	condition
Complete blood count	Anemia
Complete blood count	Infection
Electrolyte levels	High or low levels of potassium or sodium
	Dehydration
	Renal (kidney) failure
	Endocrinopathy
	Acidosis
Blood chemistry panel	Hypercalemia or hypocalcemia
	Hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia
	Liver dysfunction
	Renal (kidney) failure
Urinalysis	Infection
Electrocardiogram	Myocardial infarction
Electrocardiogram	Arrhythmias
Chest X ray	Pneumonia
Chest X ray	Congestive heart failure
CT Scan	Cerebrovascular accident

If the above tests do not establish a diagnosis, the following tests may be applicable, if justified by the findings of the history and the physical examination and also by the clinical situation:

Laboratory Test	condition

Blood culture	Sepsis
Cardiac isoenzyme levels	Myocardial infarction
	Hypoxia
Arterial blood gases	Acidosis
	Thyrotoxicosis
Thyroid function tests	Hypothyroidism
Toxicology screen	Drug intoxication
Drug levels	Drug toxicity
Lumbar puncture	Meningitis
Electroencephalogram	Seizures

Laboratory Test

condition

Urinalysis

Laboratory Test

condition

Blood culture

Toxicology screen

Drug levels

Lumbar puncture

Electroencephalogram