Alternate Names: Excitement; Restlessness
Considerations: Extreme agitation can lead to confusion, hyperactivity, and outright hostility. Agitation can come on suddenly or gradually. It can last for just a few minutes or for weeks and even months. External stimuli, pain, stress, and fever all increase agitation.
Agitation by itself may not have much clinical significance; but, if viewed with other symptoms, it can be a good indicator of a disease state.
Common Causes:
Home Care: A calm environment, plenty of sleep, adequate lighting, and any measure to reduce stress may help to decrease agitation. Avoid restraining an overly-agitated person if possible, since this usually makes the problem worse.
Communication of feelings is important.
Call If:
- there is prolonged or severe agitation, especially if accompanied by other unexplained symptoms.
What To Expect: The medical history will be obtained from either the patient or a family member, and a physical examination will be performed.
Medical history questions documenting agitation in detail may include:
- type
- Is the patient more talkative than usual or is there a feeling of pressure to keep talking?
- Does the patient show increased purposeless activity (e.g., pacing, hand wringing)?
- Is the patient extremely restless?
- Is the patient trembling or twitching?
- time pattern
- Was the agitation a short episode?
- Is the agitation persistent?
- How long did it persist--for how many day(s)?
- aggravating factors
- Does the agitation seem to be triggered by reminders of a traumatic event?
- Did you notice anything else that may have triggered agitation?
- other
Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a diagnosis related to agitation to your personal medical record.
