Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2024
ReviewEmergency Department Care of the Patient with Suicidal or Homicidal Symptoms.
Patients frequently present to the emergency department (ED) with acute suicidal and homicidal thoughts. These patients require timely evaluation, with determination of disposition by either voluntary or involuntary hospitalization or discharge with appropriate outpatient follow-up. Safety concerns should be prioritized for patients as well as ED staff. Patient dignity and autonomy should be respected throughout the process.
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Affective disorders affect the way that people think and feel and are classified into unipolar disorders and bipolar disorders. Bipolar disorders represent a spectrum of these chronic mental health illnesses. Patients with bipolar disorder have high recurrence of acute symptoms, and on average spend 20% of their life in exacerbations characterized by mania, depression, or psychosis. Given the increased morbidity and mortality associated with bipolar disorders, it is imperative that the emergency physician remain vigilant when these patients seek emergency care.