Delirium and sleep disturbance are commonly seen in hospitalized patients, in particular those with critical illnesses, after major surgery, being in intensive care unit and elderly patients with dementia. Whether these disorders share common pathogenesis is yet to be determined. The potential mechanisms include inflammation, neurotransmitter abnormality and tissue hypoxia. Sleep deprivation is one of the most common causes for causing delirium in patients with critical illnesses. For this topic, we aimed to explore the following issues: 1. The link between sleep deprivation and delirium; 2. Sleep disorders and risk of delirium; 3. Mechanism for hypnotics/sedatives causing delirium; 4. Evidence-based reports about the efficacy or effectiveness of melatonin, melatonin agonist and orexin receptor antagonist on the treatment of delirium.
Summary
關鍵字：
Sleep Disorders