Agitation management strategies for older adults in the emergency department or with emergency medical services: A scoping review.
The American journal of emergency medicine · 2025-04-16 · Scoping review
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Agitation is common in the emergency department (ED) and with emergency medical services (EMS), which can pose significant challenges to safety and patient care. In older adults, agitation is a common symptom of dementia or delirium. RATIONALE: Managing agitation in older adults is challenging in emergency care environments. A scoping review of literature for agitation management approaches for older adults in ED/EMS environments was completed. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, and APA PsycINFO, combining key words and subject headings for 3 concepts: "older adults, aged 65 and older," "agitation/dementia/delirium," and "ED/EMS." Studies which explored management strategies for older adults with agitation, dementia, or delirium in the ED or EMS were included. Studies with younger populations (<65 years old) and/or lacking patient data specifically from the ED or EMS were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 7113 studies were screened, of which 22 were included in this review: pharmacological (n = 8), non-pharmacological (n = 5), multi-component (n = 3) treatments, and recommendations (n = 6). Most were in the ED, and 5038 older adults were included across all studies. Antipsychotics and benzodiazepines to manage agitation were common. Non-pharmacological and multi-component interventions were less commonly evaluated and lacked exploration of patient outcomes. Recommendations stressed caution with pharmacological medications rather than prioritizing non-restraint strategies. DISCUSSION: Most studies identified use of pharmacological treatment for agitation amongst older adults in ED/EMS settings, however, are not found to be overly effective and are associated with patient harm. There is a significant gap in evidence specific to EMS settings and evaluation of effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions, highlighting the need for further research.