Disturbance in attention (ie reduced ability to detect, focus, sustain and shift attention) and awareness (reduced orientation to the environment). The disturbance develops over a short period of time (hours to a few days), represents an acute change from baseline attention and awareness, and tends to fluctuate in severity during the course of a day. An additional disturbance in cognition (eg memory deficit, disorientation, language, visuospatial ability or perception). The disturbances in criteria A and C are not better explained by a pre-existing, established or evolving neurocognitive disorder and do not occur in the context or a severely reduced level of arousal, such as coma. There is evidence from the history, physical examination or laboratory findings that the disturbance is a direct physiological consequence of another medical condition, substance intoxication or withdrawal (ie due to a drug of abuse or medication) or exposure to a toxin or multiple aetiologies.
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