Delirium: prevention, diagnosis and management in hospital and long-term care

Clinical guideline
Reference number: CG103
Published: 28 July 2010
Last updated: 18 January 2023

Clinical guidelines

Clinical guidelines are recommendations on the appropriate treatment and care of people with specific diseases and conditions within the NHS in England and Wales. Clinical guidelines are based on the best available evidence. Guidelines help healthcare professionals in their work, but they do not replace their knowledge and skills.

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This page was last updated: 28 October 2011

Stakeholder list (PDF 119 KB)

Published:

31 October 2018
Surveillance review proposal (PDF 1.01 MB)

Published:

31 August 2018
Comments form (MSWord 28 KB)

Published:

31 August 2018
Stakeholder list - review proposal (PDF 191 KB)

Published:

30 October 2014
Review proposal (PDF 471 KB)

Published:

30 October 2014
Surveillance review decision (PDF 699 KB)

Published:

28 January 2015
Evidence update (PDF 350 KB)

Published:

01 April 2012
2010/103 New NICE guideline set to encourage healthcare professionals to 'think delirium' and take steps to prevent it (PDF 166 KB)

Published:

06 December 2013
Remit (PDF 14 KB)

Published:

31 October 2007
List of stakeholders (PDF 23 KB)

Published:

12 July 2010
Final scope (PDF 111 KB)

Published:

03 July 2008
Stakeholder comments on draft scope (PDF 199 KB)

Published:

12 August 2008
Draft scope for consultation (PDF 119 KB)

Published:

16 April 2008
Draft scope comments proforma (MSWord 48 KB)

Published:

16 April 2008
List of stakeholders (PDF 23 KB)

Published:

12 July 2010
Equalities impact assessment (recommendations) (PDF 29 KB)

Published:

28 July 2010
GDG membership list (PDF 19 KB)

Published:

03 July 2008
Delirium GDG minutes: 16 July 2009 (PDF 35 KB)

Published:

20 October 2009
Delirium GDG minutes: 15 July 2009 (PDF 35 KB)

Published:

20 October 2009
Delirium GDG minutes: 22 April 2009 (PDF 34 KB)

Published:

20 October 2009
Delirium GDG minutes: 3-4 July 2008 (PDF 38 KB)

Published:

22 October 2008
Delirium GDG minutes: 13 November 2008 (PDF 19 KB)

Published:

17 March 2009
Delirium GDG minutes: 21-22 January 2009 (PDF 20 KB)

Published:

22 April 2009
Delirium GDG minutes: 4 March 2009 (PDF 87 KB)

Published:

30 July 2009
Draft full guideline for consultation (PDF 1.85 MB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Algorithm (PDF 45 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendices and contents page (PDF 615 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix D adverse effects - included studies (PDF 233 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix D consequences of - included studies (PDF 155 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix D diagnostic test accuracy - included studies (PDF 182 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix D epidemiology - included studies (PDF 214 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix D non pharmacological risk factors - included studies (PDF 90 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix D pharmacological risk factors - included studies (PDF 49 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix E consequences of cohort studies - methodological quality (PDF 125 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix E diagnostic accuracy tests - methodological quality (PDF 172 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix E epidemiology - methodological quality (PDF 168 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix E non-pharmacological risk factors cohort studies - methodological quality (PDF 44 KB)

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11 November 2009
Appendix E pharmacological risk factors cohort studies - methodological quality (PDF 29 KB)

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11 November 2009
Appendix E patient information - methodological quality (PDF 213 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix F consequences of - multivariate risk factors (PDF 185 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix F - non-pharmacological risk factors - multivariate risk factors (PDF 293 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix F pharmacological risk factors - multivariate risk factors (PDF 63 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G diagnostic test accuracy - excluded studies (PDF 128 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G adverse effects review - excluded studies (PDF 121 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G consequences of - excluded studies (PDF 55 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G epidemiology review - excluded studies (PDF 146 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G non-pharmacological risk factors - excluded studies (PDF 71 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G information for patients review - excluded studies (PDF 118 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G pharmacological risk factors - excluded studies (PDF 55 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix G references to excluded studies (PDF 151 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix K evidence summary - prevention (PDF 34 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Appendix K evidence summary - treatment (PDF 39 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Draft NICE guideline for consultation (PDF 250 KB)

Published:

11 November 2009
Consultation table and with developers responses (PDF 1.02 MB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Pre-publication check - stakeholder comments/developer responses (PDF 49 KB)

Published:

28 July 2010
Full guideline (PDF 3.5 MB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix A - Scope (PDF 64 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix B - Declaration of Interests (PDF 49 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix C - Search Strategies (PDF 174 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Adverse Effects - Included studies (PDF 121 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Consequences of - Included studies (PDF 155 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Diagnostic Test Accuracy - Included Studies (PDF 182 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Epidemiology - Included studies (PDF 91 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Non pharmacological Risk factor - Included studies (PDF 44 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Pharma Nonpharma Prevention Treatment - Included studies (PDF 170 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix D - Pharmacological Risk factors - Included studies (PDF 49 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Consequences of (PDF 125 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Diagnostic Accuracy Tests Methodological Quality (PDF 172 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Epidemiology quality (PDF 71 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Non Pharmacological Risk Factors (PDF 44 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Patient info quality (PDF 80 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Pharma NonPharma Prevention Treatment (PDF 107 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Pharmacological Risk Factors review - Randomised controlled trials (PDF 23 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix E - Pharmacological Risk Factors review - cohort studies (PDF 30 KB)

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07 May 2010
Appendix G - References for Excluded Studies (PDF 93 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix H - Recommendations for Future Research (PDF 75 KB)

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07 May 2010
Appendix I - DSM-IV and Scales For Measuring (PDF 64 KB)

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07 May 2010
Appendix J - Health Economics (PDF 155 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Appendix K - Forest Plots (PDF 462 KB)

Published:

07 May 2010
Consultation table and with developers responses (PDF 1.02 MB)

Published:

07 May 2010