A computerized search of the relevant literature from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and
EMBASE was conducted.
The first literature search was conducted by searching MEDLINE for the period
1966 to April 1996 and used the key words "organic mental disorders,"
"psychotic," "delirium," "delusions," "acute
organic brain syndrome," "alcohol amnestic disorder,"
"psychoses," "substance-induced," and "intensive care
psychosis" with "haloperidol," "droperidol,"
"antipsychotic agents," "physostigmine,"
"tacrine," "cholinergic agents,"
"benzodiazepines," "thiamine," "folic acid,"
"vitamin b 12," "vitamins," "morphine,"
"paralysis," "electroconvulsive therapy,"
"risperidone," and "neuroleptic malignant syndrome." A total
of 954 citations were found.
A second search in MEDLINE was completed for the period 1995 to 1998 and used
the key words "delirium," "dementia," "amnestic,"
"cognitive disorders," and "delusions" with
"haloperidol," "droperidol," "antipsychotic
agents," "physostigmine," "tacrine," "cholinergic
agents," "benzodiazepines," "vitamins,"
"morphine," "paralysis," "electroconvulsive
therapy," "risperidone," and "neuroleptic malignant
syndrome." A total of 1,386 citations were found.
The literature search conducted by using PsycINFO covered the period 1967 to
November 1998 and used the key words "delirium" and "treatment
& prevention" with "psychosocial," "behavioral,"
"restraint," "seclusion," "isolation,"
"structure," "support," "sensory deprivation,"
"orient$," "reorient$," and "delirium tremens." A
total of 337 citations were found.
An additional literature search was conducted by using EMBASE for the period
1985 to November 1998 and used the key word "delirium" with
"vitamins," "morphine," "paralysis,"
"electroconvulsive therapy," and "neuroleptic malignant
syndrome." A total of 156 citations were found.