Effectiveness of non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions in preventing delirium in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Non-pharmacological multicomponent interventions reduce delirium occurrence and should be prioritised. Dexmedetomidine showed benefit in non-cardiac surgical populations, while evidence for other drugs remains inconclusive. Overall, certainty was low to very low, highlighting the need for further high-quality randomised trials to ensure generalisability.