Evaluation and Treatment of Impulsivity and Aggression

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Activity Dates: 04/27/2020 - 04/27/2023

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Target Audience

This course is designed for pharmacists, nurse practitioners or other health care professionals involved in the comprehensive medication management of psychiatric and/or neurological patients.

Session Summary

Aggression and agitation is common in inpatient psychiatric settings, and it is important to recognize warning signs early to prevent rapid escalation to potentially dangerous behaviors. A meta-analysis from 2015 suggests that almost 20% of patients admitted to psychiatric units commit at least one act of violence during their hospitalization. The etiology of aggression is often multifactorial with psychosis, impulsivity, psychopathy, intoxication, cognitive impairment being potential contributing factors. Recognition of the risk factors for aggressive behavior can inform proper medication selection and the need for specific non-pharmacologic interventions. While guidelines and literature exist for the treatment of agitation and aggression due to medical conditions, dementia, different psychiatric disorders, and acute psychiatric emergencies, no medications are FDA approved to treat impulsivity and aggression. Psychiatric pharmacists working with patients are in a key position to assess the appropriateness of pharmacologic treatment for these behaviors. This session is designed to provide education on recognition of risk factors associated with aggressive and violent behavior, interpretation of rating scales used to measure the risk of impulsivity and aggression, and development of a therapeutic treatment plan using non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic strategies to treat both impulsivity and aggression in adult patients with mental illness.

Course Requirements

You will proceed through the following steps to satisfactorily complete this course:

  • Sign in (or create a FREE account).
  • Register for this course.
  • Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
  • Complete the post-test at the end of the activity no later than the closing activity date.
  • Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
  • If necessary, complete the post-test retest no later than the closing activity date.
  • Receive a passing grade (70%).
  • Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.

Upon successful completion, ACPE credit is reported within 24 hours to CPE Monitor although transcripts can be retrieved by participants online in their ACPE Transcript.

Faculty Information

Royce Lee, MD

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Learning Objectives

  1. Evaluate the risk of impulsivity and aggression in patients with mental illness.
  2. Assess the ethics of using various forms of restraint for the management of acute aggression.
  3. Develop a treatment plan for the management of impulsivity and aggression in patients with mental illness.

Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures

Activity Dates: 04/27/2020 - 04/27/2023
ACPE Contact Hours: 1
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-20-018-H01-P (Application)
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.

ACPEThe College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

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