The Journal of clinical psychiatry
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Droperidol had become a standard treatment for sedating severely agitated or violent patients in both psychiatric and medical emergency departments. However, several recent articles have suggested that droperidol may have a quinidine-like effect similar to that of thioridazine in inducing dysrhythmia. ⋯ The authors conclude that, in clinical practice, droperidol is an extremely effective and safe method for treating severely agitated or violent patients. While in theory droperidol may prolong the QT interval to an extent similar to thioridazine, in clinical use there is no pattern of sudden deaths analogous to those that provoked the FDA warning about thioridazine.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Pretreatment with ibuprofen to prevent electroconvulsive therapy-induced headache.
Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been widely recognized as an effective treatment for severe depression and various other psychiatric illnesses, adverse effects have been frequently reported, especially a high incidence of headache. Analgesics, such as acetaminophen, narcotics, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are commonly used to treat ECT-induced headache. The objective of this study was to determine whether pretreatment with ibuprofen would prevent the onset or decrease the severity of headache that occurs after ECT. ⋯ Ibuprofen premedication reduced the frequency and severity of headache post-ECT and should be considered for appropriate patients who suffer from ECT-induced headache.