4.0 Risk Assessment and Mitigation
Risk assessment is not a one-time event but a continuous and vital process in the management of agitated patients. Unmanaged agitation carries significant risks that can obstruct care, endanger safety, and lead to severe negative outcomes for the patient.
Analysis of Key Risks
- Harm to Self or Others: This is the most acute and significant risk. Agitation is associated with impulsive behaviors that can lead to physical harm directed at others or to self-injurious actions, including suicide attempts.
- Obstruction of Medical Care: Agitated patients may actively resist essential medical interventions, such as physical examinations, administration of medication, or monitoring of vital signs. This resistance can create life-threatening delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- Exacerbation of Underlying Illness: The physiological and psychological stress of an agitated state can worsen the course of existing mental health conditions like depression or bipolar disorder, complicating long-term recovery.
- Impairment of Quality of Life: When agitation becomes a chronic or recurring issue, it can severely disrupt a person’s social relationships, occupational functioning, and family life, leading to a profound decrease in overall quality of life.
Mitigation Strategy
The most effective mitigation strategy is not a single action but the systematic application of the entire clinical framework outlined in this monograph. Early recognition of the symptom clusters, followed by a rapid and precise differential diagnosis, allows for a targeted management approach that de-escalates immediate danger while paving the way for definitive treatment. This integrated process is essential to ensuring patient safety and facilitating a thorough diagnostic evaluation.