The Section of Pharmacists and Medical Biochemists of HKLD organized a professional lecture entitled “Dementia” held by Assoc. Ph.D. Dubravka Kalinić, MD. specialist in psychiatry from the Vrapče Psychiatry Clinic. The lecture was held on October 22, 2024. from 7 p.m., in the Margarita Peraica Hall of the HKLD in Zagreb.

At the beginning of the lecture, Dr. Kalinić stated the way in which delirious states occur in elderly people. Delirium or an acute disturbed state most often occurs as a result of an acute illness, medical complications or drug intoxication. It is characterized by a disorder of cognition and consciousness, it can be associated with a disorder of psychomotor, wakefulness and sleep cycle, emotions. Delirium is present in a significant percentage of hospitalized elderly patients where it affects up to 56% of hospital patients, especially in postoperative and intensive care units.

Dementia is one of the key risk factors, present in two thirds of delirium cases. Other factors include older age, sensory disorders, taking multiple medications (polypragmasia) and previous delirium, multiple comorbidities.

The possibility of delirium prevention, which is carried out pharmacologically and through optimization of the environment for patient care, is especially emphasized. Effective prevention, recognition, and treatment are critical because delirium can lead to serious long-term consequences, including cognitive decline, the need for hospitalization, and increased mortality.

The lecture was followed by a very interesting discussion.

Jasna Ćurić, mag. Pharm.
President of the Section of Pharmacists and Medical Biochemists