What You Should Know About Medicines/Delirium

Delirium (or the state of being delirious) is considered a temporary dysfunction of the brain. The brain is a very complex organ, of course, and although it is resistant to being "knocked off kilter", certain things can do this. Many people have experienced delirium when drinking too much alcohol. This is induced by a chemical, is relatively temporary, and its effects are pretty well known. In too high a dose, the delirium can advance to unconsciousness, and even respiratory depression, which can lead to death from the body being unable to breathe on its own. Simple infections, like urinary infections in the elderly, can cause a delirium, which resolves a couple of hours after the first dose of antibiotic. Delirium is confused with Dementia, but the two are quite different. See Dementia.