Table 1.

Benefits and risks of an earlier intervention during an episode of agitation.

Benefits	Broader set of intervention choices, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological
	Patient cooperation
	Less traumatic/invasive treatments
	Increased therapeutic alliance
	Potentially, reduced waiting time until a full diagnosis can be made
	Reduction of medical and economic resources needed
Drawbacks	Agitation misidentification
	Safety issues due to the use of drugs that could have been avoided