In an Emergency Setting, What Is the Best Intramuscular Pharmacological Treatment to Give to an Agitated Geriatric Patient?

Abstract

Herein, we describe an agitated geriatric patient who suffered an adverse outcome due to treatment for agitation in an emergency setting. This led to the prompt review of the current literature on best-practice medication to use in this population. After careful review, the authors recommend olanzapine as the first-line medication for agitation due to its lower risk-averse effect profile when compared to other medications used for this patient population.

Keywords: emergency; emergency medicine physician; emergency psychiatry; geriatric; geriatric psychiatry; geriatric psychosis; riker sedation-agitation scale.