Psychiatria pre prax 4/2008

THE MOST FREQUENT CAUSES OF AGITATION AT A SOMATIC DEPARTMENT

In this article I am turning my mind to the most frequent causes of acute agitation with the somatic patients. This is my view of the problem as I have been working as a internist in a mental home. Agitated patients come here from other types of hospitals. Mental deragements accompanied with acute agitation are often caused or increased thanks to patient´s hospitalization. Their somatic problems are complicated then and they basicly influence diagnostics and ways of treatement. They also turn worse the therapy and prognosis. Agitation may run parallely with lots of mental deseases. The most frequent of then are both deliria: of non-alcoholic and alcoholic etiology. Taking care of agitated patients is verry difficult for the staff. Several features have to be considered when deciding the course of treatment, e. g. health progress, patient´s security as well as other patient´s and staff security.

Keywords: agitation, agitated patient, somatic disease, delirium