This study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of
olanzapine for the treatment of
delirium in a Korean population. An open trial of
olanzapine was conducted in Korean patients with
delirium caused by multiple medicosurgical conditions. All subjects were evaluated by
Delirium Rating Scale (DRS), which is known to be one of the most sensitive scales for
delirium. In addition, other data for profiles of side-effects were collected and analyzed. Twenty patients were treated by
olanzapine with doses of 5.9 +/- 1.5 mg/day. The initial dose was 4.6 +/- 0.9 mg/day and maximal dose of
olanzapine was 8.8 +/- 2.2 mg/day. The average
duration of treatment was 6.6 +/- 1.7 days and the day of maximal response was 3.8 +/- 1.7 treated days. The scores of DRS were significantly improved from 20.0 +/- 3.6 at the time of pretreatment to 9.3 +/- 4.6 at the post-treatment. All subjects showed no definite serious side-effects including
anticholinergic and extrapyramidal symptoms.
Olanzapine treatment for patients with
delirium was effective and safe. This newer
drug may be a useful alternative agent to classical
antipsychotics in the treatment of
delirium.