AGS Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults Guideline Summary - Guideline Central

Design and created by Guideline Central in participation with the American Geriatrics Society.

Document Overview

Document Title: Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults

Authoring Society: American Geriatrics Society

Document Publication Date: May 1, 2016

Page Last Reviewed/Updated: May 5, 2026

Document Type: Guideline

Country of Publication: United States

Full Text Freely Available: Yes

Full Text Guideline: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jgs.13281

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Document Objectives: Present nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions that should be implemented perioperatively for the prevention of postoperative delirium; and second, to present nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions that should be implemented perioperatively for the treatment of postoperative delirium.

Scope: Management, Prevention, Treatment

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D003693 - Delirium

D003693 - Delirium

Keywords: delirium, delirium prevention, postoperative delirium

Target Patient Population: patients who are at risk for postoperative delirium

Inclusion Criteria: Female, Male, Older Adult

Health Care Settings: Hospital, Long Term Care, Operating and Recovery Room, Outpatient

Intended Users: Counselor, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Occupational Therapist, Physician, Physician Assistant

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology

Number of Source Documents: 288

Includes peer/external review process?: No

Includes public comment process?: No

Methodologist involvement?: Yes

Patient involvement?: No

Includes multi-disciplinary group?: Yes

Includes systematic review?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of evidence?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of recommendation?: Yes

Discloses funding source?: Yes

Discloses conflicts of interest?: Yes

Includes benefits/harms analysis with recommendations?: No