Treating confusion soon after heart surgery

In a study of 60 patients, the average duration of delirium was 26.5 hours for those treated with dexmedetomidine compared to 36.3 hours for the control group.

• 67% of patients experienced symptoms of delirium within the first two days after cardiac surgery.
• The hyperactive type of delirium was observed in over 77% of the cases.
• Patients receiving dexmedetomidine had a shorter ICU stay of 2.73 days compared to 3.5 days for those receiving conventional treatment.
• Spontaneous breathing was more common in the dexmedetomidine group (87%) compared to the control group (60%).
• Bradycardia was the most significant side effect associated with dexmedetomidine use.

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