Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) for Diagnosing Delirium*
Feature | Assessment† |
|---|---|
Required features | |
Acute onset and fluctuating course | Shown by positive responses to the following questions: "Has the patient’s mental status changed abruptly from baseline?" "Did the abnormal behavior fluctuate during the day (ie, tend to come and go or increase and decrease in severity)?" |
Inattention | Shown by a positive response to the following question: "Did the patient have difficulty focusing attention (eg, was easily distracted or had difficulty following what was being said)?" |
One of the following features required | |
Disorganized thinking | Shown by a positive response to the following question: "Was the patient's thinking disorganized or incoherent (eg, evidenced by rambling or irrelevant conversation, unclear or illogical flow of ideas, or unpredictable switching from subject to subject)?" |
Altered level of consciousness | Shown by any answer other than "alert" to the following question: "Overall, how would you rate this patient's level of consciousness?"
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* The diagnosis of delirium requires the presence of the first 2 features plus one of the second 2 features. † This information is usually obtained from a family member or nurse. | |