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Acute behavioural disturbance — DIPIMC MCQ

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HardMedical EmergenciesAcute behavioural disturbanceDIPIMCDipIMC

Police call you to a young man who is acutely agitated, sweating profusely, very hot to touch, and displaying great physical strength and paranoia, apparently after stimulant use. He is a danger to himself and others. Which statement best reflects safe management?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: B — Treat as an emergency; sedate, cool and transfer, avoiding prone restraint

Acute behavioural disturbance with hyperthermia and extreme agitation is a medical emergency that carries a real risk of sudden death, and management combines de-escalation, rapid sedation, active cooling, close monitoring and urgent transfer, while avoiding prolonged prone restraint that risks asphyxia. Treating it as a purely behavioural or policing matter misses the physiological danger. Withholding assessment or sedation is unsafe. Pearl: continuous monitoring for hyperthermia, acidosis and arrhythmia is essential, as cardiovascular collapse can be sudden.

Reference: JRCALC Clinical Guidelines; Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (RCSEd)