Management of the agitated elderly patient in the nursing home: the role of the atypical antipsychotics.
Agitation is a frequent and troublesome problem in the long-term care setting. The term agitation is a nonspecific descriptor of a variety of verbal, vocal, and motor behaviors that can be unsafe, disruptive, and distressing to staff, families, and patients alike. Agitation can occur as a result of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric conditions, and appropriate treatment needs to be directed at the target symptoms. Optimal results are achieved with a combination of behavioral and pharmacologic interventions. In this review, we examine some of the causes and interventions that can assist physicians caring for the agitated elderly in long-term care settings. The role of the atypical antipsychotics is discussed in detail.
Verma
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SD
Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Mass 02178, USA.
Davidoff
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DA
Kambhampati
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KK
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D014196:Trazodone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004967:Estrogens; D014196:Trazodone