Association of anticholinergic activity of prescribed medications with postoperative delirium

Abstract

In a prior study, delirium and plasma anticholinergic drug levels were significantly correlated in 9 of 25 surgical intensive care patients. The present study, using cumulative anticholinergic effects of parent compounds of these patients' medications, found that delirious patients' medication combinations had significantly higher cumulative anticholinergic effects than those of nondelirious patients.