ACEP Clinical Policy: Sedation of the Agitated Patient

The podcast addresses the American College of Emergency Physicians' clinical policy on managing severe agitation in emergency departments, focusing on optimal medication strategies. It highlights that droperidol combined with midazolam, or an atypical antipsychotic plus midazolam, offers more rapid and efficacious treatment compared to haloperidol and lorazepam. Evidence from studies, including those by Chan et al. (2013, 2021) and Taylor et al. (2017), supports the use of these combinations for quicker sedation. While ketamine is considered for situations where safety is an immediate concern, its use is a Level C recommendation due to potential adverse events and public image considerations. The policy does not provide recommendations for pre-hospital sedation or patients over 65 due to insufficient data.