PulmCrit- January 11, 2017 - By Josh Farkas
"The potential role for IV olanzapine was examined in a post last year. The following conclusions were reached:
- IV olanzapine appears to be safe.
- IV olanzapine has equal potency compared to IV droperidol and about twice the potency of IV haloperidol.
- Olanzapine doesn’t affect QT interval or cause torsade de pointes.
Two articles were just published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine about intravenous olanzapine. What does the new evidence show?
- These studies validate the safety of IV olanzapine (now demonstrated in four studies including administration to 1,237 patients).
- IV olanzapine has an efficacy equal to IV droperidol, and probably about twice as potent as IV haloperidol.
- Addition of IV midazolam to IV droperidol hastens achievement of sedation, but this may come at the cost of increased respiratory suppression."