When Agitation Meets Intoxication: A Retrospective Comparison of Intramuscular Olanzapine and Haloperidol Among Patients With and Without Substance Use in a Psychiatric Emergency Service

Key Points

• To compare the effectiveness and safety of intramuscular olanzapine and haloperidol for treating agitation in patients with and without substance use.
• Retrospective analysis of patient records
• Comparison of response to IM olanzapine and haloperidol
• Assessment of safety concerns related to treatments
• Patients with substance use showed similar or greater responses to both medications
• No increase in safety concerns was observed in patients with substance use
• Findings suggest implications for treating agitation in high-risk populations

Abstract