Table 4.

Pharmacological therapy

Oral agent	Dose	Contraindications and risks
Risperidone	≤ 1 mg PO	Orthostatic hypotension Caution for frail or hypovolemic patient
Olanzapine	2.5–5 mg PO	Orthostatic hypotension and somnolence
Quetiapine	25–50 mg PO	Orthostatic hypotension and somnolence
IM or IV dose	Dose	Contraindications and risks
Olanzapine	2.5–5 mg IM/IV	Caution in intoxicated or hypovolemic patients
Ziprasidone	10 mg IM	Caution in uncontrolled heart failure or cardiac disease, intoxicated, or hypovolemic/orthostatic patients
Haloperidol	1–2.5 mg IM 0.25–1 mg IV	More extrapyramidal side effects than the atypical antipsychotics IM is preferred to IV. IV may precipitate torsade de pointes in patients with QT prolongation.