Agitation in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia: Emergency Department Considerations
Agitation in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia: Emergency Department Considerations is organized by CME Institute of Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc. (PPP).
Activity opens: 04/18/2023
Activity expires: 04/30/2024
Program Description:
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with emotional lability and agitation. Patient agitation represents a significant challenge in the emergency department where medical staff are working under pressure managing a diverse range of medical emergencies, making it critical to address agitated behavior safely and effectively. Although treatment options are available, many of which include nonpharmacologic environmental de-escalation strategies, pharmacologic agents are limited in the management of agitation, with atypical oral and short-acting intramuscular formulations commonly used. However, there are novel therapies available that should be considered in the treatment of agitation with certain patient cases. Elizabeth Clayborne, MD, MA, outlines the important procedures and guidelines in place for the safety of patients and emergency department staff, and walks through steps of de-escalation, medical and psychiatric evaluation, and decision-making when it comes to the pharmacologic treatment of agitated bipolar disorder or schizophrenia patients in the emergency department setting.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this educational activity, you should be able to:
• Better understand the nature and burden of agitation in bipolar disorder (BP) and schizophrenia (SZ) as it presents in the emergency department (ED) setting
• Better understand best practice guidelines for effective management of agitation in the ED setting
• Learn about newly approved therapeutics on the market to treat agitation and evaluate the efficacy and safety of each