Wednesday 16 October 2019

Evaluating the effects of the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to manage delirium symptoms in palliative care patients: systematic review

Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, September 2019
Skelton, Luke; Guo, Ping

This review aims to evaluate the effects of the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions used to manage delirium symptoms in this patient group. A recent study has suggested there is no role for antipsychotic medication in the management of delirium in palliative care patients, which is a move away from previous expert opinion. In addition, recent findings suggest there may be a role for the use of antipsychotics in combination with benzodiazepines in the management of agitated delirium.  The authors conclude that it is too early to abandon the use of antipsychotic medication entirely in the management of delirium, however there remains inadequate evidence to support the routine use of either pharmacological or nonpharmacological interventions.