Print Friendly
Is Quetiapine Just as Effective for Delirium as Haloperidol?
Is Quetiapine Just as Effective for Delirium as Haloperidol?
First published in Psychiatry Weekly, Volume 8, Issue 9, April 22, 2013
Quetiapine, a second-generation antipsychotic, may shorten the duration of delirium in hospitalized patients, according to a report in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. Haloperidol, a first-generation antipsychotic, is already widely used in hospitals to treat delirium, although it carries a greater risk of extrapyramidal side effects. The investigators included 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 5 open-label studies, and one retrospective cohort study in this analysis. In one RCT quetiapine did not improve mean delirium scores but it did shorten the duration of delirium significantly. The second RCT did not find a significant drug vs. drug advantage for quetiapine. The remaining trials found quetiapine to be on equal footing with amisulpride and haloperidol in terms of efficacy. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jhm.2019/abstract
-LS