Delirium following acute myocardial infarction: incidence, clinical profiles, and predictors.

Purpose: To examine the incidence, clinical profile, and predictors of delirium following acute myocardial infarction (MI).

Design And Methods: The study sample included 212 consecutive patients with acute MI who were admitted to the coronary intensive care unit of a university hospital.

Findings: Delirium was found to occur in 5.7% of the patients. The predictors of delirium were advanced age, higher level of serum potassium at admission, and experience of cardiac arrest during MI.

Practice Implications: Delirium is reasonably prevalent in patients with acute MI. We propose that patients with the risk factors that have been delineated in this study should be evaluated carefully.