Do families suffer when the patient is delirious?
Families are upset by the physical restlessness, mood lability, and psychotic symptoms that occur when a patient is delirious. Most bereaved families (n=195), asked in a mailed questionnaire about their experiences with family members, reported that any delirium-related symptom besides sleepiness was distressing or very distressing when they occurred often or very often. The response rate among 300 families who had used the specialized inpatient palliative care services in Japan was 69%. This study corroborates the finding by Breitbart et al 1 that hyperactive delirium causes a great deal of stress for family members. 1.Breitbart W, Gibson C, Tremblay a: the delirium experience: delirium recall and delirium-related distress in hospitalized patients with cancer, their spouse/caregivers, and their nurses. Psychosomatics. 2002;43:183-94.
