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For the agitated geriatric patient, if verbal deescalation, distraction, and providing a safe quiet area do not work and you require chemical sedation use oral antipsychotics first. Follow this with IV or IM antipsychotics. Avoid benzodiazepines due to often worsening delirium or respiratory depression. For dosing, start low and go slow.
References
Geriatric Psychiatric Emergencies
Emergency Medicine Clinics VOLUME 42, ISSUE 1, P135-149, FEBRUARY 2024
Michelle A. Fischer, MD, MPH Monica Corsetti, MD
Published:July 31, 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emc.2023.06.016