Mental health emergency

Summary of changes

  • Protocol moved to emergency protocols group
  • Protocol reordered for improved readability and clarity

Medicines 

  • Addition of droperidol as a sedative agent
  • IM antipsychotics change from haloperidol and benzatropine to haloperidol OR droperidol, benzatropine, may be needed with haloperidol if side effects
  • Remove systematic use of Benzatropine with haloperidol
  • Use of benzatropine recommended only if acute dystonia

Primary references

  1. Boland R, Verduin ML and Ruiz P (2021) Kaplan and Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry, 12th edition, Wolters Kluwer Health, USA.

  2. Khokhar MA and Rathbone J (2016) 'Droperidol for psychosis-induced aggression or agitation', Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12:CD002830, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002830.pub3

  3. Le Cong M, Finn E and Parsch CS (2015) 'Management of the acutely agitated patient in a remote location', Medical Journal of Australia, 202(4):182-183, doi:10.5694/mja14.01162

  4. Moore G and Pfaff J (2020) Assessment and emergency management of the acutely agitated or violent adult, UpToDate, accessed 21 July 2021.

  5. Northern Territory Government of Australia (2020) Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998, accessed 14 January 2022.