Evaluation of Anti-Agitation Medication Prescribing Patterns by Age in the Emergency Department

Acute agitation frequently occurs in the emergency department. Appropriate management is critical for the safety of all parties involved. Benzodiazepines and antipsychotics are commonly used for agitation, but safety concerns exist with these medications in older adults, even with acute use. The purpose of this study was to compare prescribing practices of anti-agitation medications between adults aged 18 to 64 years and those aged ≥ 65 years.

This study was a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to the Veteran Affairs Southern Nevada Healthcare System emergency department and received haloperidol, droperidol, lorazepam, olanzapine, or ziprasidone from August 1, 2019, to July 31, 2022. Veterans were excluded if they had alcohol intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, benzodiazepine withdrawal, or medication administration unrelated to agitation. Safety outcomes included oxygen saturation < 95%, supplemental oxygen use, intubation, QTc prolongation, and new hypotension within 1 hour of medication administration.

For the 232 patients who met inclusion criteria, baseline characteristics differed significantly. When comparing patients aged 18 to 64 years and those aged ≥ 65 years, the younger cohort had higher rates of substance use disorder diagnosis (55.3% vs 27.5%, P < .001), positive urine drug screen (69.7% vs 22.5%, P < .001), and 72-hour legal hold (59.9% vs 32.5%, P < .001), and lower rates of cognitive impairment or dementia (0.7% vs 48.8%, P < .001), and altered mental status-related diagnosis (2.0% vs 18.8%, P < .001). Anti-agitation medication selection significantly differed based on age (P = .02). Other than lorazepam (P = .007), no significant differences were noted in the dose ordered. No significant differences were observed for safety outcomes or additional anti-agitation doses.

Anti-agitation prescribing practices may differ between adults aged 18 to 64 years and those aged ≥ 65 years. The findings of this study also suggest that the most common agitation etiologies may differ based on patient age. Additional higher-quality studies are needed to further explore acute agitation in older adults.