EM Fundamentals

APPROACH TO ALTERED MENTAL STATUS

Goals and Objectives Goals Resident will be comfortable with initial evaluation and basic management of patients with altered mental status Learning Objectives Resident will be able to define and describe the differences between delirium, dementia and psychosis Resident will be able to outline steps in the initial assessment to the patient with altered mental status Resident will be able to produce a differential diagnosis for altered mental status Resident will be able to list rapidly reversible causes of altered mental status and appropriate interventions for each diagnosis Hypoglycemia --> Dextrose Hypoxia --> Supplemental O2 Hypercarbia --> Assisted ventilation Opioid intoxication --> Naloxone Alcohol withdrawal --> Benzodiazepines Resident will be able to describe common diagnostic studies used to determine the etiology of altered mental status Resident will be able to describe basic treatments for each disease category included in the differential diagnosis of altered mental status

Recommended Resources Prior to Conference Altered Mental Status: Evaluation and Etiology in the ED (Am J EM, 2002) Altered Mental Status (EM in 5) Additional Resources Overview Approach to AMS Part 1 (EM:RAP) Approach to AMS Part 2 (EM:RAP) Approach to AMS (Flipped EM Classroom) CDEM on AMS Consensus Statements ACEP Clinical Policy: AMS (pdf)

Original Post by Eric Shappell on 7/23/2014
Reviewed by James Ahn on 7/26/2014
Last Updated by Eric Shappell on 02/16/2016 Contact / Feedback