First-generation Antipsychotics Are Often Prescribed in the Emergency Department but Are Often Not Administered with Adjunctive Medications.

BackgroundAlthough first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) have long been used in the emergency department (ED) to treat acute agitation, little is known about how these medications are used in modern clinical practice. In particular, little work has been published about whether ED clinicians administer FGAs with adjunctive medications in accordance with expert guidelines or the prescribing practices of FGAs over time.Objectives1) To provide a comparison of the frequency with which FGAs are administered with adjunctive benzodiazepines or anticholinergic medications. 2) To analyze the prescribing trends for FGAs over time, particularly in the years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) black-box warning for droperidol.MethodsThis is a structured review of a retrospective cohort of patients receiving haloperidol or droperidol in two EDs over a 7-year period.ResultsHaloperidol or droperidol was administered on 2833 patient visits during the study period, with haloperidol being administered most often. Adjunctive medications are administered less than half of the time. The use of droperidol has remained relatively static, whereas the use of haloperidol has increased.ConclusionsFirst-generation antipsychotics are still widely utilized in the ED. When administered, these medications are used with adjunctive medications that may decrease side effects less than half of the time. Droperidol use has remained unchanged in the years after the FDA black-box warning, whereas use of haloperidol has continued to rise

First-generation Antipsychotics Are Often Prescribed in the Emergency Department but Are Often Not Administered with Adjunctive Medications.

BackgroundAlthough first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) have long been used in the emergency department (ED) to treat acute agitation, little is known about how these medications are used in modern clinical practice. In particular, little work has been published about whether ED clinicians administer FGAs with adjunctive medications in accordance with expert guidelines or the prescribing practices of FGAs over time.Objectives1) To provide a comparison of the frequency with which FGAs are administered with adjunctive benzodiazepines or anticholinergic medications. 2) To analyze the prescribing trends for FGAs over time, particularly in the years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) black-box warning for droperidol.MethodsThis is a structured review of a retrospective cohort of patients receiving haloperidol or droperidol in two EDs over a 7-year period.ResultsHaloperidol or droperidol was administered on 2833 patient visits during the study period, with haloperidol being administered most often. Adjunctive medications are administered less than half of the time. The use of droperidol has remained relatively static, whereas the use of haloperidol has increased.ConclusionsFirst-generation antipsychotics are still widely utilized in the ED. When administered, these medications are used with adjunctive medications that may decrease side effects less than half of the time. Droperidol use has remained unchanged in the years after the FDA black-box warning, whereas use of haloperidol has continued to rise

Ketamine use for acute agitation in the emergency department.

BackgroundEmergency physicians regularly encounter agitated patients. In extremely agitated and violent patients, the onset of many traditional medications is relatively slow and often requires additional medication. Ketamine is frequently used in emergency departments (EDs) for procedural sedation and intubation, but has recently been suggested as a treatment for acute agitation.ObjectivesWe sought to examine the use of ketamine in the treatment of acute agitation in an ED setting, including vital sign changes as a result of this medication.MethodsThis is a structured review of an historical cohort of patients over 7 years at two university EDs. Patients were included if they received ketamine as treatment for acute agitation. Abstracted data included age, vital signs including hypoxia, any additional medications for agitation, and alcohol/drug intoxication.ResultsKetamine was administered for agitation on 32 visits involving 27 patients. Preadministration systolic blood pressure was 131 ± 20 mm Hg, with an average postadministration increase of 17 ± 25 mm Hg. The average baseline heart rate was 98 ± 23 beats/min, with an average increase of 8 ± 17 beats/min. No patients became hypoxic; 62.5% of patients required additional calming medication. Alcohol or drug intoxication was present in 40.6% of patients.ConclusionsWe found ketamine was used rarely, but had few major adverse effects on vital signs even in a population with 21.9% alcohol intoxication. However, a high proportion (62.5%) of patients required additional pharmacologic treatment for agitation, implying that administering ketamine is useful only for initial control of severe agitation

Ketamine use for acute agitation in the emergency department.

BackgroundEmergency physicians regularly encounter agitated patients. In extremely agitated and violent patients, the onset of many traditional medications is relatively slow and often requires additional medication. Ketamine is frequently used in emergency departments (EDs) for procedural sedation and intubation, but has recently been suggested as a treatment for acute agitation.ObjectivesWe sought to examine the use of ketamine in the treatment of acute agitation in an ED setting, including vital sign changes as a result of this medication.MethodsThis is a structured review of an historical cohort of patients over 7 years at two university EDs. Patients were included if they received ketamine as treatment for acute agitation. Abstracted data included age, vital signs including hypoxia, any additional medications for agitation, and alcohol/drug intoxication.ResultsKetamine was administered for agitation on 32 visits involving 27 patients. Preadministration systolic blood pressure was 131 ± 20 mm Hg, with an average postadministration increase of 17 ± 25 mm Hg. The average baseline heart rate was 98 ± 23 beats/min, with an average increase of 8 ± 17 beats/min. No patients became hypoxic; 62.5% of patients required additional calming medication. Alcohol or drug intoxication was present in 40.6% of patients.ConclusionsWe found ketamine was used rarely, but had few major adverse effects on vital signs even in a population with 21.9% alcohol intoxication. However, a high proportion (62.5%) of patients required additional pharmacologic treatment for agitation, implying that administering ketamine is useful only for initial control of severe agitation