ICU Psychosis (cont.)
What is an example of a situation of ICU psychosis?
Years ago, when we went to visit my father-in-law in a hospital ICU, we found him disoriented and very depressed. He couldn't hear or see well. It was like being in a medically-induced whiteout. His room was windowless. He was unable to listen to a radio, watch television or talk on the telephone. He had virtually no human contact other than brief visits by medical staff because he was in isolation with an infection. The staff he did see were in mask and gown and all looked alike. He felt cut off from human contact. He was sure he was going to die (which he didn't). He had ICU psychosis.
It turned out that my father-in-law's customized hearing aid left
lying on the nightstand had disappeared. It had apparently fallen
into the waste basket and been thrown out with the trash. To
safeguard his glasses, a well-meaning nurse suggested that his
glasses be taken home. Hence, he could not hear or see much.
Restoration of his hearing aid and glasses largely relieved his ICU
psychosis.
Can ICU psychosis be dangerous?
Yes. To give another example, a friend fell seriously ill with a pulmonary infection some years ago, was very feverish, in considerable pain (from pleurisy) and felt just terrible.
She was put in the hospital ICU and had a large-bore intravenous catheter with fluids running together with several antibiotics.
She was also given some medications to relieve the pain let me catch up on sleep.
She fell asleep but awoke in the middle of the night totally disoriented, very agitated, hallucinating, etc.
She had pulled out the IV catheter and was spouting blood all over the place. She was experiencing ICU psychosis. While still in the hospital, a repeat dose of the pain medications led to a repeat episode of the ICU psychosis. ICU psychosis can be dangerous, even life-threatening. It is best avoided if possible.
- Patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) or hospital may become delirious delirium.
- ICU psychosis is a temporary condition and can be treated.
- There is no difference between ICU psychosis and delirium.
- ICU psychosis can be treated by a variety of methods and treatments.
- ICU psychosis is an increasingly prevalent problem and may occur at any time during recovery from an acute illness or traumatic event.
- ICU psychosis can be dangerous.
- All efforts should be made to relieve ICU psychosis.
- The signs of psychosis usually resolve when the patient leaves the ICU.
- ICU psychosis may last 24 hours or even up to two weeks with various symptoms occurring at different times.
- Many factors can be involved in causing ICU psychosis.
Last Editorial Review: 5/31/2007
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