Abstract
Patients with agitation are frequently encountered in an emergency department (ED) or psychiatric emergency service (PES). Agitation is not a disease state but actually a cluster of symptoms. Core symptoms and signs of agitation generally include irritability, excessive or semi-purposeful motor activity (also known as “psychomotor agitation”), heightened responsiveness to internal and external stimuli, and an unstable course. Agitation can be associated with both psychiatric and non-psychiatric conditions. Until agitation is appropriately treated, evaluation and treatment of the underlying issue may be delayed.
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Kieltyka, C.A., Nordstrom, K.D. (2018). Agitation. In: Nordstrom, K., Wilson, M. (eds) Quick Guide to Psychiatric Emergencies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58260-3_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58260-3_5
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