[New formulations of olanzapine in the treatment of acute agitation]

Abstract

Agitation is common in patients with acute schizophrenia or bipolar mania, and when severe can result in aggressive or violent behaviour. Pharmacotherapy for acute psychotic agitation includes the use of antipsychotic and benzodiazepine drugs, either alone or in combination. Although oral treatment is preferred, options in the pharmacotherapy of acute agitation include the parenteral administration of antipsychotics in order to facilitate onset of drug action and quickly alleviate symptoms. Until recently only conventional antipsychotic and benzodiazepine drugs were available as intramuscular injections. Olanzapine has been one of the first atypical antipsychotics available for intramuscular administration. Four randomized placebo and comparator controlled , double-blind clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of olanzapine in reducing acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar mania and Alzheimer and vascular dementia. Evidence from these clinical trials has shown that IM olanzapine associated with faster onset of action and more favorable profile of adverse events, than monotherapy with IM haloperidol. Current clinical experience and one naturalistic study with intramuscular olanzapine suggest that it is efficacious and can be safely used in "real world" patients with severe agitation. Intramuscular olanzapine have shown ease of transition to same agent oral therapy once the acute agitation has diminished. The orally disintegrating tablet formulation of olanzapine was effective rapidly reducing psychopathology, while improving medication compliance, attitudes and behaviours. This new formulation of olanzapine may offer an alternative strategy in the treatment of acutely ill, noncompliant schizophrenic patients. Evidence suggests that the new formulations of olanzapine should be among the first-line choices in the treatment of agitation in acute psychosis.

Keywords: olanzapine, intramuscular, orally disintegrating tablet, agitation, psychosis.