TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuroleptic prescription pattern for delirium in patients with advanced cancer
AU - Hui, David
AU - Reddy, Akhila
AU - Palla, Shana
AU - Bruera, Eduardo
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Background: Neuroleptics are frequently used by palliative care specialists to treat delirium. In this study, we determined the median daily neuroleptic dose and prescription pattern in a cohort of unselected advanced cancer in-patients with delirium. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 100 consecutive patients admitted to our acute palliative care unit with delirium for demographics, delirium characteristics, and neuroleptic use during the first five days of delirium. The dose of neuroleptics was expressed using the concept of haloperidol equivalent daily dose (HEDD). Results: The median delirium duration was six days, and the median Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale on day 1 was 13/30. Subtypes of delirium included hypoactive (31 percent), mixed (59 percent), and hyperactive (10 percent). Haloperidol, olanzapine, and chlorpromazine were given to 94 (94 percent), 8 (8 percent), and 5 (5 percent) of patients, respectively. The median five-day average HEDD was 3.2 mg (interquartile range 1.5-6.0 mg). HEDD was not associated with any clinical characteristics except delirium subtype. Among the 31 occasions in which ≥3 breakthrough doses were given in a day, only 9 (29 percent) resulted In an increase in the scheduled neuroleptic dose, and 1 (3 percent) resulted in the addition of a new neuroleptic the next day. Among the 73 patients with ≥4 days of delirium, only 49 (67 percent) had an increase in the neuroleptic dose, and 2 (3 percent) had a new neuroleptic added. Conclusion: HEDD was lower than doses reported in previous studies involving cancer patients and was adjusted sparingly. Prospective clinical trials are necessary to identify the optimal neuroleptic dose for delirium.
AB - Background: Neuroleptics are frequently used by palliative care specialists to treat delirium. In this study, we determined the median daily neuroleptic dose and prescription pattern in a cohort of unselected advanced cancer in-patients with delirium. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 100 consecutive patients admitted to our acute palliative care unit with delirium for demographics, delirium characteristics, and neuroleptic use during the first five days of delirium. The dose of neuroleptics was expressed using the concept of haloperidol equivalent daily dose (HEDD). Results: The median delirium duration was six days, and the median Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale on day 1 was 13/30. Subtypes of delirium included hypoactive (31 percent), mixed (59 percent), and hyperactive (10 percent). Haloperidol, olanzapine, and chlorpromazine were given to 94 (94 percent), 8 (8 percent), and 5 (5 percent) of patients, respectively. The median five-day average HEDD was 3.2 mg (interquartile range 1.5-6.0 mg). HEDD was not associated with any clinical characteristics except delirium subtype. Among the 31 occasions in which ≥3 breakthrough doses were given in a day, only 9 (29 percent) resulted In an increase in the scheduled neuroleptic dose, and 1 (3 percent) resulted in the addition of a new neuroleptic the next day. Among the 73 patients with ≥4 days of delirium, only 49 (67 percent) had an increase in the neuroleptic dose, and 2 (3 percent) had a new neuroleptic added. Conclusion: HEDD was lower than doses reported in previous studies involving cancer patients and was adjusted sparingly. Prospective clinical trials are necessary to identify the optimal neuroleptic dose for delirium.
KW - Delirium
KW - Haloperidol
KW - Neoplasms
KW - Neuroleptic agents
KW - Palliative care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79959873969&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79959873969&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/082585971102700210
DO - 10.1177/082585971102700210
M3 - Article
C2 - 21805949
AN - SCOPUS:79959873969
SN - 0825-8597
VL - 27
SP - 141
EP - 147
JO - Journal of palliative care
JF - Journal of palliative care
IS - 2
ER -