What Is an Example of Chemical Restraint?

A chemical restraint is a drug, usually a sedative or antipsychotic, administered to control a patient's violent behavior that could harm medical staff or themselves.

Chemical restraint refers to the administration of certain medications to restrain agitated patients from behavior that is harmful to themselves or others, including the medical staff attending to them. The administration of a medication is considered a chemical restraint when used to sedate an agitated patient and not for direct therapeutic reasons.

Administration of the right chemical restraint is essential, based on the patient’s condition and the cause of the agitation. Examples of chemical restraints include sedatives and antipsychotics.

Three main classes of drugs are used as chemical restraints:

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are sedative drugs effective in aggression reduction and quick sedation in an agitated patient. This drug class is helpful for patients with:

• Alcohol intoxication or withdrawal symptoms
• Seizure disorders or those at risk for seizures
• Agitation from unknown causes

Typical or classic antipsychotics

Butyrophenones and phenothiazines are the main classes of antipsychotic drugs used to control violence in patients with acute psychosis.

Atypical antipsychotics

Atypical antipsychotic drugs are a relatively new type of chemical restraint and have a better side effect profile than benzodiazepines and typical antipsychotics. Studies indicate that atypical antipsychotic drugs are effective in controlling acute psychosis in patients with a known psychiatric disorder such as:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder

Some clinical trials have demonstrated better efficacy in achieving rapid sedation with combination therapy of one benzodiazepine and one typical antipsychotic drug.

The three types of restraints are:

1. Physical: Limiting a person’s freedom of movement with physical devices such as waist belts, restraining vests, or hand mitts.
2. Chemical: Use of medications to moderate behavior.
3. Environmental: Restricting a person’s free access to the places or things in their environment, such as locking up a room or keeping an item in an inaccessible location.

A chemical restraint is most often administered in the emergency department when prompt action is required to avert violence or manage dangerous and uncontrollable behavior in an agitated patient.

A patient may be agitated due to a combination of several factors such as:

• Substance intoxication or withdrawal
• Significant physical illness
• Mental health crisis
• Confusion and anxiety

A chemical restraint medication is a last resort when less invasive options fail. Such less invasive options include verbal reasoning and involving trusted family members to calm the patient.

A chemical restraint infringes on a patient’s freedom and dignity and has legal implications. Before administering a chemical bond, medical staff must carefully assess the following:

• If the patient can make rational decisions
• If the patient poses a serious threat to themselves or others, if restraint is not administered
• If the patient has any health condition that precludes the use of chemical control due to side effects
• If there are medical causes for agitation, such as
  • Low oxygen
  • Dementia
  • Low blood sugar
  • Delirium

Other important considerations are:

• Legal Requirements
  • Obtaining the patient’s consent if it is possible
  • Obtaining the family member’s consent if the patient is not in a condition to comprehend, or is a minor
• Need for extreme caution in the use of chemical restraint and its dosage in a pregnant patient
• Use of appropriate medication and dosage in children

Chemical restraints must ideally act rapidly with the most minor dosage and minimal side effects. Ease of administration is also an important consideration. 

Chemical restraint may be administered in three ways:

1. Oral medication: The first option is per oral (PO) administration if the patient is amenable and willing to take the medication. Oral solutions are better than tablets as they:
   • work faster and 
   • help avoid the possibility of the patient hiding the tablet in their cheek.
2. Intramuscular injection: In emergencies, intramuscular injections (IM) may be the best option because of ease of access and rapid action.
3. Intravenous injection: Intravenous injections (IV) have the quickest onset time, but accessing the vein may be difficult in an acutely agitated patient.

The patient's vital signs must be carefully monitored for any serious side effects after the administration of chemical restraint.

The following is a list of chemical restraint drugs, and some of their side effects; also, some drugs are used in combination (for example, lorazepam and haloperidol):

Benzodiazepines

Two benzodiazepine drugs are used for chemical restraint administered PO, IM, or IV:

• Lorazepam
• Midazolam

Side effects include:

• Respiratory depression (shallow and ineffective breathing)
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Extreme somnolence (sleepiness)

Typical antipsychotics

The two main antipsychotic drugs administered PO, IM or IV are:

• Haloperidol
• Droperidol

Side effects include:

• Heart rhythm disorders (dysrhythmia)
• Extrapyramidal symptoms from movement disorders such as
• Tardive dyskinesia (jerky movements)
• Dystonia (muscle spasms and contractions)
• Akathisia (restlessness)
• Torticollis (twisted neck from neck muscle contraction)
• Drug-induced parkinsonism (tremors and muscle stiffness)

Atypical antipsychotics

Three atypical antipsychotic drugs are available to administer PO or IM:

• Risperidone
• Olanzapine
• Ziprasidone

Side effects include:

• Extrapyramidal symptoms (for example, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, acute dystonia)
• Neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a condition that leads to
• High fever
• Muscle stiffness and weakness
• Severe fatigue and confusion
• High heart and pulse rate
• Signs of kidney problems such as dark urine