title: Medical assessment of patients presenting with psychiatric symptoms in the emergency setting.
abstract: Psychiatrists in the emergency department (ED) are often asked to evaluate patients with disturbances of affect, behavior, and cognition. The first and most crucial step in the evaluation process is to eliminate possible medical causes for a patient presenting psychiatric symptoms. Failure to detect and diagnose underlying medical disorders may result in significant and unnecessary morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Center for Health Services Research, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lagomasino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stoudemire
mesh_terms: D003693:Delirium / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000592:standards; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000592:standards; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States