The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has conducted an evidence review to address the following two research questions:

• What is the clinical effectiveness of short-acting benzodiazepines compared to other strategies for the management of agitation in elderly patients?

• What are the guidelines for the administration of short-acting benzodiazepines for managing agitation in elderly patients?

The overall findings were:

“The NICE–SCIE guideline on support for people with dementia and their carers recommends that healthcare professionals need to: be proficient in their ability to correctly use benzodiazepines to control behaviour; be knowledgeable of the risks associated with their use (particularly in the physically ill and dehydrated); and understand their cardiovascular effects. These guidelines also underline the importance of dosage titration in patients with dementia. Once a benzodiazepine has been administered, health professionals should: be proficient in nursing patients who remain in the recovery position or are restrained (while consistently monitoring their vital signs); be skilled in resuscitation and in the use of resuscitation equipment; and understand the urgency to keep the airway unobstructed.

There was no information available on the clinical effectiveness of short-acting benzodiazepines compared to other strategies for the management of agitation in elderly patients”.