Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 12/17/2006

Question
My grandmother recently went into the hospital, due to a urinary tract infection. She had to be sent to the icu, because her breathing started to fail. She was kept there, under sedation, for seven straight days. When they finally took her off the sedatives, she started to act really confused and seeing things. None of the nurses, or doctors, could give us a straight answer as to why. Some said it could go away in a few days, others said it may never go away. They sent her home, and she was still kind of confused with her words. She seemed to be getting better each day. However, after being home for five days, she got real agitated and violent. She's accusing us of all kind of things, saying real nasty stuff to us. I guess my question is, is it common for her behavior to get this way, and if so how long can we expect to wait. Also, is there anything else we can do, to snap her out of it?

Thank You,
Michael

Answer
What you are describing is commonly called ICU psychosis. People who are in an ICU spend days where their sleep is interupted, constant lights and being woken up. Elderly people are partucularly susceptible. Your doctors are correct that it will likely go away but it may not. If the symptoms don't get better, or get worse, you should have her seen by a neurologist. Otherwise, TLC is the best medicine (and perhaps anxiolytics prescribed by her physician).

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston