Yap CYL, et al. - Researchers examined patients who received parenteral sedation for acute agitation in an emergency department setting for the incidence, nature and risk factors for adverse events (AEs). They performed a prospective observational study and a clinical trial of parenteral sedation for the management of acute agitation. Findings suggest a common occurrence of sedation-related AEs. Among 904 patients (62.3% male; median age 34 years; range 18 to 95 years) included in the analyses, 144 (15.9%) had at least one AE. Oxygen desaturation (7.4%), airway obstruction (3.6%), bradycardia (1.9%), hypotension (1.7%), and prolonged QTc interval (1.3%) were the most common AEs. Increased adjusted odds ratio for having an AE was evident in correlation to age 65 years and older, more than one type of parenteral sedation administered within 60 minutes, and alcohol intoxication.