Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
Published on: February 6, 2021
Thiothixene in the Management of Delirium: A Case Series
Jonathan G Leung1, Folabo Y Dare1, Lee M Flowers1
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Background:
Pharmacologic strategies are often required to help manage agitated patients with delirium. First-and second-generation antipsychotic medications (such as haloperidol, quetiapine, and olanzapine) are commonly used.
Objective:
On the psychiatric consultation service in our hospital, thiothixene has been used based on its favorable potency, sedative, and cost profiles. Little has been written about the utility of this drug for management of delirium.
Methods:
We reviewed our experience with thiothixene in this setting using pharmacy records to identify patients who received at least 1 dose between July 2011 and March 2014. We scrutinized the relevant medical records (n = 111) and recorded the following data: age, sex, medical diagnoses, signs and symptoms of delirium, dosing of thiothixene, and response to thiothixene in terms of both apparent benefit as well as side effects.
Results:
Resolution or improvement was documented in 78% of patients and good tolerability in 82% of patients.
Conclusions:
Although further data from a randomized, controlled trial would be ideal, our experience suggests that thiothixene could be a safe and effective pharmacologic treatment for agitation and psychosis due to delirium.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
01:28Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
01:23Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
01:19Management of Insomnia
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
01:17Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...