ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of present study was to investigate the effect, safety and tolerability of risperdal sachet(oral solution) with lorazepam tablet versus intramuscular haloperidol and lorazepam injection for management of acute psychotic symptom in the elderly with organic mental disorder. METHODS: Total 37 patients who have dementia, medical or physical diseases, associated with acute psychotic symptom were randomly assigned to oral treatment with 1mg of risperdal sachet(oral solution) plus 1mg of lorazepam(N=17) or to intramuscular treatment with 2.5mg of haloperidol plus 2mg of lorazepam(N=20). The change of CGI scores was used for the evaluation of efficacy. RESULTS: Mean score improvements at 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after treatment were statistically significant at each time point in both groups(p<0.001) and were similar in both groups(p=0.189). CONCLUSION: A single oral dose of risperdal sachet(oral solution) plus lorazepam was as effective and tolerable as parenterally administered haloperidol plus lorazepam for the rapid control of acute psychotic symptom in the elderly with organic mental disorder.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Delirium , Neurocognitive Disorders , Dementia , Haloperidol , LorazepamABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Psychiatric patients often require emergency injection and they are sometimes received psychotropic medication injection before the completion of a medical history and laboratory studies. The aim of this study is to find out laboratory differences between patients with severe psychomotor agitation who were injected emergently and those who were not. METHODS: Medical records of all patients 18 years or older admitted to psychiatric unit were reviewed. Subjects in this study were patients who showed psychotic symptoms, psychomotor agitation or violent behavior within 7 hospital days. Demographic and laboratory variables were compared between injected and non-injected patients. RESULTS: One hundred twenty three patients were included. Twenty seven patients received emergency injection and ninety six patients didn't receive. Patients received emergency injection had lower platelet count (p<0.01), and potassium level (p<0.05) and higher electrocardiogram QTc interval (p<0.05). They are also more likely to have abnormal levels of platelet count (p<0.05), and creatine phosphokinase (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Emergently injected patients in the psychiatry service were more likely to have abnormal laboratory results before injection. These findings suggest that patients who need emergency injection may have additional physical problems which require further medical attention. Therefore before injection, we consider that emergently injected patients may have risks.