Olanzapine in the treatment of delirium.
Delirium is an organic psychiatric syndrome characterized by fluctuating consciousness and impaired cognitive functioning. Eleven delirious patients were treated with olanzapine (dosage mean +/- standard deviation [SD]: 8.2 +/- 3.4 mg qhs), and 11 delirious control patients were treated with haloperidol (dosage mean +/- SD: 5.1 +/- 3.5 mg qhs). Peak response time was similar in both groups. Five of the 11 olanzapine patients showed significant improvement (> 50% score reduction) on the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS) and no patients had side effects, whereas 6 of the 11 control subjects showed improvement on the DRS and 5 had extrapyramidal symptoms or excessive sedation. Olanzapine may be a useful alternative to haloperidol in the treatment of delirium in hospitalized patients.
Sipahimalani
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Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York (SUNY) Health Science Center at Syracuse 13210, USA.
Masand
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PS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D006220:Haloperidol; D000077152:Olanzapine