Cardiovascular disease in the elderly: delirium and full risk predicting factors in a cardiac ICU cohort.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is common among older adults is associated with a higher risk of falls. Patients presenting, at increasingly older ages, with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other chronic conditions are a growing concern. Aim: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between delirium and both predisposing and precipitating factors, such as comorbidities and the use of restraints. Methodology: This cohort study assessed delirium incidence and associated risk factors in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) from May 2022 to June 2023. Patients aged 65 and older were enrolled and followed for one year. The methodology included comprehensive multidiscipplinary evaluations compliant with ethical standards and the Helsinki declaration. The primary tools for assessment were the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for baseline health and the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scales for functional status. Additionally, fall risk was evaluated using a multifactorial approach. Results: Of the 113 assessed patients, 12 (10.6%) tested postive for delirium with reported fall risk. Conversely, 63 patients (55.8%) had a fall risk but did not develop delirium. A notable finding was that higher IADL scores correlated with lower risks of falls and delirium (p=0.045). Similarly, higher ADL scores were associated with reduced delirium and fall risks (p=0.04). Discussion: The study highlighted that CICU patients with concurrent delirium and fall risks exhibited poorer short and long-term clinical outcomes, significantly increasing hospital stay lengths.