title: Efficacy of combinations of intramuscular antipsychotics and sedative-hypnotics for control of psychotic agitation.
abstract: The combination of haloperidol, 5 mg, and lorazepam, 4 mg, was both effective and safe for managing agitated behavior in an open trial with acutely psychotic patients. The combination also appeared to be superior to its individual components when studied in a randomized, nonblind trial. The principle of the combined use of antipsychotics and sedative-hypnotics was further tested by comparing two new combinations: thiothixene, 5 mg, and lorazepam, 4 mg, versus haloperidol, 5 mg, and phenobarbital sodium, 130 mg. These combinations had comparable efficacy and safety, and the level of transquilization approached that produced by the haloperidol-lorazepam combination in the preceding studies.
authors.affiliation: Harris County Psychiatric Center, Houston, TX 77225.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Garza-Treviño
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Hollister
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Overall
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013888:Thiothixene / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D013888:Thiothixene; D006220:Haloperidol; D008140:Lorazepam; D010634:Phenobarbital