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Rapid Tranquillisation

A Survey of Emergency Prescribing in a General Psychiatric Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

L. S. Pilowsky ,
H. Ring ,
P. J. Shine ,
M. Battersby  and
M. Lader
L. S. Pilowsky*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
H. Ring
Affiliation:
National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen's Square, London W1
P. J. Shine
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychopharmacology Section, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
M. Battersby
Affiliation:
Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia
M. Lader
Affiliation:
University of London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

Rapid tranquillisation – giving a psychotropic to control behavioural disturbances – is common in medical practice, yet few surveys describe its use in psychiatric populations. Over five months, 102 incidents, involving 60 patients, were retrospectively surveyed. Patients most often involved were young white men. The commonest diagnosis was affective disorder (manic phase) (39%) followed by schizophrenia (33%). Fifteen patients were involved in 57% of the incidents. The majority of incidents involved injury to people or damage to property. The most frequently used drugs were diazepam and haloperidol, alone or in combination. Droperidol, chlorpromazine, sodium amytal and paraldehyde were rarely used. Diazepam alone or in combination with haloperidol delivered intravenously was most rapidly effective and was associated with greatest staff satisfaction. Serious side-effects were rare.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 160 , Issue 6 , June 1992 , pp. 831 - 835
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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