The agitated patient in the emergency department

A practical approach to the evaluation and management of the agitated patient is presented. Organic disorders must be ruled out in this type of patient before functional diagnoses are accepted as diagnoses of exclusion. In this article, a methodical approach to the treatment of the patient's agitation is outlined. If a reversible organic cause for the patient's behavior is not apparent and if the patient does not first respond to verbal communication, then the proper treatment of the patient's agitation includes mechanical and chemical restraints. The article concludes with a review of the pharmacology and indications for use of different classes of sedating agents.