Lorazepam and other benzodiazepines are typically avoided when managing end-of-life agitated delirium in patients with cancer because these drugs can precipitate, even worsen, delirium.

But a new multicenter trial found that patients with advanced cancer and delirium experienced greater reductions in agitation and restlessness at the end-of-life when given lorazepam compared with the more frequently used haloperidol.

“Lorazepam-based regimens were found to be more efficacious than haloperidol alone or placebo in reducing agitation and restlessness in patients who were admitted to the palliative care unit with persistent agitated delirium,” said study lead author David Hui, MD, professor of palliative, rehabilitation and integrative medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer

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