title: Rationale and guidelines for the inpatient treatment of acute psychosis.
abstract: For patients hospitalized with acute episodes of psychosis, rapid stabilization of intense positive symptoms, hostility, and agitation is typically a preeminent therapeutic goal. These goals often differ from those of the nonhospitalized patient with psychosis for whom long-term treatment goals such as improvement of negative symptoms, cognitive function, compliance, and reduction in side effect burden may be paramount. Therefore, when selecting an antipsychotic treatment for hospitalized patients, efficacy against positive symptoms and hostility as well as speed of therapeutic onset should strongly be considered. At the same time, selection of antipsychotic treatment in the inpatient setting should establish a definitive treatment that will address long-term goals effectively after discharge. This article presents the rationale and practical guidelines for selection of treatment regimens for patients hospitalized due to acute psychosis.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, 92103-8218, USA. dfeifel@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feifel
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003024:Clozapine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006760:Hospitalization; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D003024:Clozapine; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine