A survey of delirium guidelines in Europe

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the existence and content of delirium guidelines of the national psychiatric associations in Europe.MethodA survey was sent by email to national coordinators of the European Association for Consultation–Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics.ResultsResponses were obtained for 12 of the 14 countries that were approached. Of these 12 countries, only two national psychiatric associations reported having national delirium guidelines. The Dutch Psychiatric Association was the only national psychiatric association that had developed a comprehensive multidisciplinary guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of delirium. The German Association of Scientific Medical Societies has a comprehensive guideline on the treatment of alcohol withdrawal delirium, in which the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Mental Disorders participated. In addition, the delirium guideline of the British Geriatrics Society and the guideline for alcohol withdrawal delirium of the German Neurological Society were mentioned by respondents.ConclusionsAlthough the development of evidence-based treatment guidelines is considered an important way to improve clinical practice, the national psychiatric associations of only two countries have such a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of delirium. The advantages of supranational collaboration in the development of guidelines are stressed.