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Date of Award
Spring 2022
Degree Name
Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant)
Department
Physician Assistant; College of Health Sciences
First Advisor
Diana Hawthorne
Abstract
Acute encephalopathy, otherwise known as altered mental status (AMS), is a common complaint in adult patients presenting to the emergency department. It is an umbrella term for any acute change to cognition or behavior and can correlate with many underlying etiologies. Due to the life threatening nature of many such etiologies, it is imperative that the approach to the diagnosis and resolution of AMS in the emergency setting be as prompt, yet thorough as possible. The purpose of this article is to provide an evidence based, up to date approach to the evaluation of the patient with AMS with special emphasis on common etiologies and red flag presentations specific to the emergency department. Related publications on altered mental status focus on other settings or specific age groups. There is also little research that is up to date regarding clinical recommendations. Therefore, this article intends to close such gaps in knowledge within current literature.
Recommended Citation
Stipa, Caroline, "The Approach to and Management of Altered Mental Status in the Emergency Department" (2022). Capstone Showcase. 39.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2022/pa/39
The Approach to and Management of Altered Mental Status in the Emergency Department
Acute encephalopathy, otherwise known as altered mental status (AMS), is a common complaint in adult patients presenting to the emergency department. It is an umbrella term for any acute change to cognition or behavior and can correlate with many underlying etiologies. Due to the life threatening nature of many such etiologies, it is imperative that the approach to the diagnosis and resolution of AMS in the emergency setting be as prompt, yet thorough as possible. The purpose of this article is to provide an evidence based, up to date approach to the evaluation of the patient with AMS with special emphasis on common etiologies and red flag presentations specific to the emergency department. Related publications on altered mental status focus on other settings or specific age groups. There is also little research that is up to date regarding clinical recommendations. Therefore, this article intends to close such gaps in knowledge within current literature.