Frequency, severity, and treatment of agitation in young versus elderly patients in the ICU

Abstract

Study objective: To study the frequency, duration, severity, and treatment of agitation in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) to determine if the elderly represent a distinct population.

Design: Prospective cohort study

Setting: Tertiary care, 10-bed, multidisciplinary ICU.

Patients: All patients older than 18 years of age admitted for longer than 24 hours during a 4-month period.

Interventions: None.

Measurements and main results: One hundred thirty patients were studied for 916 patient-days; 63 (48%) were elderly (> 65 yrs). Nurses and physicians described agitated behavior in 92 patients (70.8%) during 534 (58.3%) patient-days, and it was severe or dangerous in 60 patients (46.1%) during 273 (30%) patient-days. There were no age-related differences in frequency, severity, and duration of agitation. Opiates, benzodiazepines, and haloperidol were administered during 72%, 62%, and 29% of agitated patient-days, respectively. Haloperidol was administered more often to elderly patients (p=0.015); otherwise no between-group differences were noted. Daily dosing requirements were less in the elderly for intermittent intravenous lorazepam, haloperidol, and morphine but not for midazolam (p=0.15). When these dosages were corrected for body mass, no statistical differences between young and old were found.

Conclusion: In the ICU, the elderly are not a distinct population for agitation.