Psychiatric emergencies in the elderly population

Abstract

This article reviews the most common behavioral emergencies in the geriatric population. Psychiatric emergencies are seen frequently by emergency physicians who face the challenge of assessing and managing patients presenting with psychosis, severe depression, agitation, suicidal intent, and substance abuse in the emergency department. The evaluation is frequently complicated by the necessity to investigate numerous domains such as underlying medical conditions, prior psychiatric disorders and substance abuse, as well as psychosocial factors. It is crucial to rule out organic causes for what appears to be psychiatric disease in the elderly. The assessment might be further complicated by the patient's limited ability to recall pertinent aspects of the history due to either cognitive impairment or acute distress. Emergency department personnel might have inadequate expertise in assessing emergencies in elderly persons, further impeding the ability to appropriately manage behavioral complications in geriatric patients. Availability of high-quality emergency care and tight collaboration with primary care providers, psychiatric consultants, and social services is crucial to optimal outcomes from acute psychiatric decompensations in the elderly.