Agitation After Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Is the Most Frequently Observed Behavioral Problem and Is a Challenge to Care Providers
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Problem Statement Agitation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most frequently observed behavioral problem and is a challenge to care providers. About one third of TBI patients exhibit agitation in the subacute stage of rehabilitation and during the posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) stage of recovery (Sandel & Mysiw, 1996; Weir, Doig, Fleming, Wiemers, & Zemljic, 2006). Agitation not only reduces the opportunity for patients to engage in rehabilitation but also becomes a major stressor for patients and their caregivers. Furthermore, a prolonged agitation period may reduce functional independence, induce a longer hospital stay, delay or prevent a return to work, and disturb family dynamics and community integration (Bogner, Corrigan, Fugate, Mysiw, & Clinchot, 2001; Brooke, Questad, Patterson, & Bashak, 1992; Citrome, 2002; Eslinger, 1995; Nott, Chapparo, & Baguley, 2006). Because there are many problems produced by agitation, dealing with agitation presents multiple challenges during rehabilitation after TBI. Although the prevalence and severity of agitated behavior following TBI has long been known, there is surprisingly little known about its management. One possible reason for this dearth of knowledge is that because patients are excluded from rehabilitation due 1 to their behavior, there is little chance to focus on agitation (Alderman, Knight, & Morgan, 1997). Among the current methods of intervention in many rehabilitation units, pharmacological intervention is the most likely to be used to manage agitation. Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and neurostimulants are commonly used in agitated patients after TBI. Although pharmacological intervention can be beneficial, detrimental side effects can be more harmful than the untreated agitation symptoms. In addition, medication-induced drowsiness can interrupt patient participation in their therapies (Corrigan & Mysiw, 1988; Zafonte, 1997).
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