There are numerous drugs which can be used to sedate a violent patient
in an emergency situation.  Some are in the "tranquilizer" category;
others are pure sedatives.  There are some narcotics (short-acting)
which can also be used for this purpose especially if the patient may
be in pain (often pain in a partially conscious patient can lead to
violent or combative behavior and when the pain level is decreased,
the patient may become more cooperative).

Depending on the drug used, and the method of injection (IM, IV,
etc.), the action can be anything from instantaneous, to requiring a
few minutes.  Short-acting medications are preferred, since
longer-acting sedatives/tranquilizers, etc., can mask findings which
could be life-threatening.

Best,

Bob

Robert A. Fink, M. D.
Neurological Surgery
2500 Milvia Street  Suite 222
Berkeley, CA  94704-2636  USA
510-849-2555

**********************************
NOTE:  The material above is not "medical
advice".  Medical advice can only be
given after an in-person contact between
doctor and patient.
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    Sometimes an injection of glucose helps. The illegal drugs
drive the blood sugar low and make them aggressive.