Evaluation and treatment of altered mental status patients in the emergency department: Life in the fast lane

Abstract

Patients with AMS pose a challenge for ED physicians. The most frequently encountered diagnostic categories causing AMS were primary CNS disorders, intoxication, organ system dysfunction, and endocrine/metabolic diseases. AMS has a high fatality rate in the ED. AMS is an important warning signal for ED patients because of its potentially fatal and reversible effects. Prompt evaluation and treatment are essential to decreasing morbidity and mortality associated with AMS.