Citation

Sood TR, Mcstay CM. Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. 2009; 27(4): 669-683.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.emc.2009.07.005

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with behavioral disturbances account for approximately 6% of all ED visits. Emergency physicians are often responsible for the initial assessment of these patients' psychiatric complaints, which might include homicidal and suicidal behavior and acute psychosis. The emergency physician might be asked to provide medical clearance before transfer to definitive psychiatric care. The purpose of the medical screening is to identify medical conditions that might be causing or contributing to the psychiatric emergency or that might be dangerous or inappropriate to treat in a psychiatric facility. Appropriate treatment in the ED is essential to avoid morbidity and mortality resulting from misdiagnosis of medical conditions as psychiatric illnesses and from mismanagement of psychiatric illnesses. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

human; violence; homicide; suicide; psychosis; behavior change; review; substance abuse; Involuntary hospitalization; mental disease; differential diagnosis; consultation; serotonin uptake inhibitor; priority journal; physical examination; emergency health service; mental patient; psychiatric diagnosis; benzodiazepine derivative; nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent; digoxin; delirium; corticosteroid; side effect; withdrawal syndrome; metabolic disorder; warfarin; endocrine disease; Delirium; narcotic analgesic agent; laboratory test; furosemide; central nervous system infection; central nervous system disease; neurologic examination; involuntary commitment; Mini Mental State Examination; emergency physician; hydrochlorothiazide; clinical evaluation; Psychiatric emergencies; Medical clearance; Psychiatric clearance