Managing Aggressive Psychotic Patients

To the Editor: In his article on managing aggressive patients in the September 1999 issue, Dr. Hughes recommends cogentin 1 mg to treat akathisia. But other authors have suggested that antiparkinson medications may not be effective in treating akathisia and instead recommend benzodiazepines and propranolol. I wonder if he can comment.

Dr. Chacko is chairman of the department of psychiatry at Florida Hospital in Orlando.