Delirium in patients with acute coronary syndrome in an intensive care unit

Abstract

Introduction: delirium is an acute variation of the state of consciousness, common in intensive care unit (ICU). Its incidence varies, presenting different correlated clinical characteristics.

Objective: to determine the incidence of delirium in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in an ICU, the associated clinical characteristics, and its correlation with the severity degree of the disease.

Material and methods: descriptive, prospective, quantitative study. A diagnostic tool CAM-ICU was applied to 24 patients to detect the presence of delirium in cases of coronary syndrome.

Results: the estimated incidence of delirium was 4 cases per 1000 of Acute Coronary Syndrome; The average age for patients with delirium was 67 years. The value of Cramérs V obtained from 0.589 suggests a moderate relationship between “X” (the clinical situation measured with Apache II) and “Y” (the presence of delirium identified with CAM-ICU); As well as the relationship between delirium and objective assessment of severity using the APACHE-II Scale (Phi 283).

Conclusion: delirium was a neurological manifesta-tion of low incidence among patients with ACS admitted to the ICU. The coefficient of Cramérs V obtained indicated moderate intensity in the statistical association between delirium and severity of the clinical picture.