Conditions That Mimic Dementia

Jo C.

- Infections including UTIs

-  Medications including but not restricted to:  antihistamines, antibiotics, BP meds, sedatives, cardiovascular meds, asthma meds, corticosteroids, pain pills, antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, herbals and supplements, many OTC meds and more.  (Never stop meds without MD input and guidance.)

-  Depression

-  Diabetes

 -  Low O2 levels

-  Malnutrition and Dehydration

- Vision and Hearing Problems

-  Electrolyte Disorders

-  Thyroid Disorders

-  Metabolic Disorders

-  Vitamin Deficiencies (Have MD do lab check, do not start supplemental vitamins or minerals without physician input as they can have impact upon prescription meds)

-  Alcohol Use, Abuse

-  Sleep Disorders/Apnea

-  Mental Health Disorders

-  Pain

-  Constipation

-  Malabsorption of Vitamins and Minerals

-  Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

-  Metal and Environmental Toxicity

-  Hypercalcemia

-  Tumors

-  Disorders of heart, lung, liver, kidneys

-  Delirium (may be hospital induced or changes in residential settings;  unfamiliar or disorienting settings)   This topic is so very important and one that is often missed by both family and medical staff including physicians, that I am including a link regarding this dynamic:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/delirium/symptoms-causes/syc-20371386

And of course this is only a partial list.   It is never best to guess; a good physician exam and assessment with a full complement of labs will be helpful for physical causes

J..   

MN Chickadee

Thank you for this list; it is an important concept that most people have never heard of. 

Some anecdotal evidence: I recently had an acquaintance who woke up one day with what seemed like amnesia. Couldn't remember the last couple weeks, how he got where he was etc. After a full work up they found a UTI. This combined with stress from recently losing a loved one was the cause. When they treated the UTI he recovered mentally. Didn't have dementia before, still doesn't as far as doctors can tell. The doctors said this is not uncommon, to have otherwise normal seniors come to the ER with odd mental difficulties caused by infection. A UTI or similar really can have unfathomable effects on the brain. 

Iris L.

My 70 year old I mother, who did not have dementia, developed delirium while being in the ICU for pneumonia.  It was startling for us.  She was making no sense whatsoever.  She improved a bit while in a regular hospital room, but needed to come home where she reverted back to normal.

Iris

harshedbuzz

Cobbling onto the idea of hospitalizations, when my mother (who does not have dementia) was hospitalized her personality has shifted which mimicked the onset of dad's dementia and terrified me.

Turns out that none of the 3 hospital systems where she's been a patient has a certain psychoactive medication she takes off-label for adult ADHD is on their formulary so she doesn't get her medication and gets a agitated and unreasonable- she not quite into "sitter" territory but I've happened on the pastoral counselor or pastor more than once. It's a newer SSRI and expensive; not a single one of the RNs or NPs who has gone over meds prior to surgery or on admission knows what it is which is not reassuring. 

Now that I know this, I bring the medication in its original container if I suspect she'll be admitted. When she had her TAVR procedure last summer, things were so much better even in COVID-times with limited visitation.

I've also seen mom's cognition tank with COPD exacerbations and when her central sleep apnea wasn't being addressed effectively because her bi-pap machine was programmed for some rando.