Medications to Rapidly Treat Psychotic Agitation

Topics: Agitation | Antipsychotics | Aripiprazole | Benzodiazepines | Chlorpromazine | De-escalation | Diphenhydramine | Droperidol | Emergency | Haloperidol | Hydroxyzine | olanzapine | Pharmacotherapy | Promethazine | Psychosis | Quetiapine | Risperidone | Violence | Ziprasidone

If you work in an emergency department (ED) or psychiatric inpatient unit, you’ve encountered agitated and even violent patients. We can help many patients settle down by listening empathically, validating their emotions, and offering oral medications, but even with our best efforts, these interventions do not always work. Medications help reduce agit