Most medics lack expertise to spot delirium ‘superbug’

Failure to identify delirium in patients can accelerate death or potentially lead to dementia if left untreated — yet the majority of medics lack the expertise to diagnose the “cognitive superbug”.

David Meagher, who is professor of psychiatry at the University of Limerick, said the health service needed to devise a response “as profound as that around MRSA” to tackle the level of delirium in Irish hospitals, which affects one in five adult patients.

“We have a condition that really impacts on people’s quality of life, not just in general hospitals, but across healthcare environments.