A comparison of two adjunctive treatment strategies in acute mania.
A benzodiazepine-neuroleptic adjunctive treatment strategy in a cohort of acutely manic patients was compared with standard neuroleptic adjunctive treatment in a matched sample treated in the same hospital. Thirty newly hospitalized manic patients receiving low-dose neuroleptic (310 mg/day chlorpromazine equivalents) and benzodiazepines (1.6 mg/day lorazepam equivalents) were compared, retrospectively, with 30 statistically similar patients receiving standard dose neuroleptic adjunctive treatment (590 mg/day chlorpromazine equivalents; 0.09 mg/day lorazepam equivalents). The benzodiazepine-neuroleptic-treated group demonstrated significantly fewer seclusion and restraint episodes (p less than .05) and were comparable on other parameters. Treatment with the benzodiazepine-neuroleptic combination may lead to fewer inpatient complications than standard neuroleptic treatment alone.
Busch
F N
FN
Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College, Payne Whitney Clinic, New York Hospital, New York 10021.
Miller
F T
FT
Weiden
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D008094:Lithium