Scarcity of evidence base on management of acutely disturbed patients

Rupali Acharya,Khurram Tanveer Sadiq

doi:10.1192/pb.34.12.541

Abstract

Brown et al give a useful insight into the practice at seven intensive care units all over the country.[1][1] Their results show that 22% of patients were given rapid tranquillisation using the intramuscular route and 68% were not given any rapid tranquillisation medication at all. The results

Highlights

Of concern is the lack of evaluation of harm to patients caused by what is essentially a screening programme of high-risk individuals
We are keen to encourage a wider discussion of the issues around the treatment of patients admitted to psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) and welcome the opportunity to address points raised by Acharya & Sadiq
One of the main findings of the study was that most PICU patients are safely managed without recourse to forced intramuscular (IM) medication, that some patients are managed without any psychotropic medication at all

Summary

Introduction

Of concern is the lack of evaluation of harm to patients caused by what is essentially a screening programme of high-risk individuals. The results table is confusing and the numbers do not add up; 3% appear not to have been given any medication at all, which causes concerns about the referral process to psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) and whether patients were appropriately placed.

Results

Conclusion