olanzapine (Zyprexa)

Following a full submission:

olanzapine (Zyprexa) for Intramuscular use is accepted for use within NHS Scotland for the control of agitation and disturbed behaviours in patients with schizophrenia or manic episode, when oral therapy is not appropriate.

Intramuscular olanzapine has been shown to be at least as clinically and cost-effective as haloperidol or lorazepam in treating agitation and other symptoms associated with acute schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Both the clinical and the economic case are limited by the entry criteria for trials, which effectively restricted entry to moderately agitated patients and excluded those who were severely agitated. However, the difficulties in conducting research in this clinical situation are recognised.