Comparing the Velocity of Haloperidol, Chlorpromazine, Trifluoperazine, and Promethazine in Sedating of Aggressive Patients

Abstract

Background: Aggression is a threatening hurtful sign occurring by a variety of causes, and should be managed rapidly by therapists. To this end, anti-psychotic drugs are used. It is essential to identify the medications that are more rapidly efficient, and can calm an aggressive patient. This study attempted to compare the velocity of haloperidol, trifluoperazine, promethazine, and chlorpromazine in sedating of aggressive patients. Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial study on aggressive patients referred to the psychiatry emergency department of Nour hospital, Isfahan, Iran, from 2016 to 2017. 76 patients were randomly divided into 4 groups, and respectively received haloperidol, promethazine, chlorpromazine, and trifluoperazine intramuscularly. Patients were evaluated each 30 minutes for aggressive symptoms. The time last for sedation was recorded for each patient, too. Findings: 76 patients with the mean age of 32.85 ± 7.80 years participated in this study, and 61.8% of them were men. 59.2% showed respond to intervention after the first injection, and 40.8% needed the second injection. The mean time needed for obtaining sedation was 19.41 ± 6.61 and 18.71 ± 5.38 minutes after the first and second injection, respectively. These mean times of sedation induction were not significantly related to age, gender, type of substance used, and type of aggression. After the first and second injection, the shortest time needed of sedation induction was in promethazine group and the longest one was in chlorpromazine group. Conclusion: Promethazine has the highest speed in creating sedative effects on aggressive patients. None of the studied drugs produced any side effect.

Keywords

• Haloperidol
• Chlorpromazine
• Trifluoperazine
• Promethazine
• Aggression