Effectiveness and harms of pharmacological interventions in the treatment of delirium in adults in intensive care units post cardiac surgery: a systematic review protocol.

ABSTRACT

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: The review objective is to synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness and harms of pharmacological interventions in the treatment of delirium in adults in intensive care units (ICU) after cardiac surgery.The specific review question is What is the effectiveness and what are the harms of pharmacological interventions in relation to the duration and severity of delirium episodes, length of stay in ICU, length of stay in hospital, functional capacity and quality of life and mortality for critically ill adult patients treated in intensive care after cardiac surgery?