How to Manage an Agitated Patient?
Today’s question is: How to manage an agitated patient? Here is a summary of this episode: Antipsychotics are the mainstay of treatment; addressing psychotic agitation as well as treating delirium. Haloperidol is best combined with a benzodiazepine, showing both high efficacy and low side effect profile. There are currently no FDA-approved oral regimens for agitation. However, there are orally disintegrating formulations of olanzapine, aripiprazole and risperidone. Asenapine is available in a sublingual formulation which requires more patient cooperation. Benzodiazepines have anxiolytic and sedating effects but can produce behavioral disinhibition and cognitive impairment in patients with dementia. Download a PDF of this interview here Become a premium member of the Psychopharmacology Institute
