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Table 3 Studies of clinical practice

From: TREC-Rio trial: a randomised controlled trial for rapid tranquillisation for agitated patients in emergency psychiatric rooms [ISRCTN44153243]

 

Incidents

Physical restraint

IV:IM

Drug of choice

Frequency of use

mean dose in mg (range)

Second injection

Complications / comments

UK 1997 [20]

3.3 / week / 100,000 catchment area population ~5 people per week

64% (nurses)

1:1

Diazepam

Most frequent

27 (10–80)

 

1 hypotention

    

Haloperidol

(exact data not presented)

22 (10–60)

26%

1 cardiorespiratory arrest (60 mg haloperidol + 80 mg DZ)

    

Chlorpromazine

 

162 (50–400)

 

1 tachycardia, 1 hypotention

    

Droperidol

 

14 (10–20)

  
    

Paraldehyde

   

1 respiratory distress

    

Amytal

    
    

Lorazepam

    
    

Nitrazepam

Least frequent

   

France 1999 [18]

5.6 / 1000 contacts

86% (nurses)

0:80

Loxapine

80%

200 mg

 

2 with acute dystonia

    

Droperidol

5%

   
    

Chlorazepate

5%

   
    

Cyamemazine

< 2%

 

6%

Mostly people with substance abuse

    

Diazepam

    
    

Sultopride

    
    

Meprobamate

    

Brazil 2000 [13]

2.1 / week / 100,000 catchment area population ~74 people per week

Majority (restraints and nurses)

0:74

Haloperidol + promethazine

61%

5 (2.5–10) + 50 (25–100)

0%

 
    

Haloperidol + Promethazine + Diazepam

15%

5 (2.5–10) + 50 (25–100) + 10

  
    

Diazepam

9%

10

  
    

Haloperidol + Promethazine + Chlorpromazine

7%

5 + 50 + 25

  
    

Chlorpromazine + Diazepam + Promethazine

1%

25 + 10

  
    

Chlorpromazine + Promethanzine

1%

25 + 50

  
    

Chlorpromazine

1%

25

  
    

Diazepam + Promethazine

1%

10 + 5

  
    

Haloperidol + Diazepam

1%

5 + 10

  
    

Promethazine

1%

50