heart surgery

[joec__0]

  My mother is a 72 year old pakinsons patient who had heart surgery for a bypass and two valve replacements one week ago.  While the doctors say that her heart is doing ok, my family is concerned when we go to visit her because she is so disoriented.  She is telling us that she imagines that they move her to other places (although she says she knows this isn't true.)  She is also not herself in that she is agitated and contentious which is not her normal disposition.   She isn't taking any pain medication except tylenol.  The doctors have said it may be due to her parkinsons medicine, the trauma of the surgery and lack of sleep.   Could these factors bring on these delusions and mood changes?
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Thanks for the question. Confusional problems after surgery are common and in general occur in 5 to 15% of patients on medical floors, 18 to 30% in surgical ICUs and 2 to 20% in coronary ICUs. The frequency in patients 65 and over is 14 to 56%. The causes can be many and varied including complications from the surgery itself. The longer she presents with confusion the more likely something else is going on. I'm not sure what to tell you in terms of what you can do. Most of these cases resolve out but not always. It may be worthwhile to have her neuologist see her to make sure he is satisfied that nothing more serious is going on. Good luck.
This information is provied for general medical education purposes. Please consult your doctor for diagnstic and treatment options.