Associations Between Oversedation and Agitation in Postanesthesia Recovery Room and Subsequent Severe Behavioral Emergencies

Objectives Hospital-based behavioral emergency response teams (BERT) respond to acute behavioral disturbances among hospitalized patients. We aimed to examine associations between altered mental status in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and behavioral disturbances on surgical wards requiring BERT activation. Methods Electronic medical records of patients who underwent general anesthesia and were admitted to the PACU between May 2018–December 2020 were reviewed for episodes of BERT activations on surgical wards. Characteristics of BERT patients were compared with the rest of surgical population during the same period to examine risk factors for BERT. Results Of 56,275 adult surgical patients, 133 patients had 178 BERT activations (incidence 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.0–2.8 per 1000 admissions), with 21 being for physical assault. The risk for BERT activation was increased with each decade over age of 50 as well as younger age (30 versus 50 y), male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 2.48, 95% CI 1.69, 3.62), longer procedures (OR = 1.08 per 30 minutes, 95% CI 1.05, 1.11), and alterations in mental status in PACU, with both moderate/deep sedation (OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.04, 2.57) and agitation/combative state (OR = 8.47, 95% CI 5.13, 14.01), P < 0.001 for all comparisons. Conclusions Early postoperative agitation and oversedation are associated with BERT activation on surgical wards. Altered mental status in PACU should be conveyed to accepting hospital units so healthcare staff can be vigilant for the potential development of behavioral disturbances.