REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS We found no significant evidence to support the use of clotiapine rather than other ' st and ard ' or ' non-st and ard ' treatments for the management of  acute psychotic illness .
BACKGROUND Acute psychotic illness , especially when associated with agitated or violent behaviour , requires urgent pharmacological tranquillisation or sedation .
Clotiapine , a dibenzothiazepine neuroleptic , is being used for this purpose in several countries .
OBJECTIVES To estimate the effects of clotiapine when compared to other ' st and ard ' or ' non-st and ard ' treatments of acute psychotic illness in controlling disturbed behaviour and reducing psychotic symptoms .
A double-blind randomized clinical trial of rapid tranquilization with I.M. clonazepam and I.M. haloperidol in agitated psychotic patients with manic symptoms.
This double-blind clinical trial studied 16 acutely agitated psychotic patients with manic or manic-like symptoms who needed rapid tranquilization and were therefore on maintenance treatment . They were r and omized to receive intramuscular preparations of clonazepam ( 1 to 2 mg ) or haloperidol ( 5 to 10 mg ) at 0 , 0.5 , and 1.0 hours . Both medications produced significant reduction of manic symptoms within two hours of initial treatment ; however , haloperidol produced beneficial results more rapidly than clonazepam . All patients completed the study , with the exception of one haloperidol-treated patient who developed severe parkinsonism . It was concluded that I.M. clonazepam is an effective , safe , but slower-acting alternative to I.M. haloperidol in the treatment of agitated psychiatric patients in need of rapid tranquilization
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS We found no significant evidence to support the use of clotiapine rather than other ' st and ard ' or ' non-st and ard ' treatments for the management of  acute psychotic illness .
BACKGROUND Acute psychotic illness , especially when associated with agitated or violent behaviour , requires urgent pharmacological tranquillisation or sedation .
Clotiapine , a dibenzothiazepine neuroleptic , is being used for this purpose in several countries .
OBJECTIVES To estimate the effects of clotiapine when compared to other ' st and ard ' or ' non-st and ard ' treatments of acute psychotic illness in controlling disturbed behaviour and reducing psychotic symptoms .