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Carolyn TK Tran, PhD

Articles

ARTICLES

Clinical Update

Delirium Versus Dementia in the Medical Inpatient Setting

July 1, 2026

Jose Antonio Ribas Roca, MD and Carolyn TK Tran, PhD

Jose A. Ribas Roca, MD. Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
Carolyn TK Tran, PhD, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC, PMHNP-BC. Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Dr. Ribas Roca and Dr. Tran have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

When an older inpatient develops altered mental status, the answer is not always delirium or dementia—it is often both. In this review we discuss how to distinguish acute from chronic cognitive change, avoid missing hypoactive delirium, use medications judiciously, and set realistic expectations for patients and families.

Clinical Update

Addressing Polypharmacy in Older Adults

January 1, 2024

Jose Antonio Ribas Roca, MD and Carolyn TK Tran, PhD

Jose Antonio Ribas Roca, MD. Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. Carolyn TK Tran, PhD. Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Dr. Ribas Roca and Dr. Tran have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Managing polypharmacy in older adults can be tricky, especially when multiple clinicians are involved. We offer tips on how to find the right medication and dose while avoiding prescribing cascades. We also discuss how to use shared decision-making to deprescribe.

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