Rationale and guidelines for the inpatient treatment of acute psychosis

For patients hospitalized with acute episodes of psychosis, rapid stabiliza tion of intense positive symptoms, hostility, and agitation is typically a preeminent therapeutic goal. These goals often differ from those of the non hospitalized patient with psychosis for whom long-term treatment goals such as improvement of negative symptoms, cognitive function, compliance, and r eduction in side effect burden may be paramount. Therefore, when selecting an antipsychotic treatment for hospitalized patients, efficacy against posi tive symptoms and hostility as well as speed of therapeutic onset should st rongly be considered. At the same time, selection of antipsychotic treatmen t in the inpatient setting should establish a definitive treatment that wil l address long-term goals effectively after discharge. This article present s the rationale and practical guidelines for selection of treatment regimen s for patients hospitalized due to acute psychosis.