Which condition is characterized by severe agitation with hyperthermia?

• A. Excited Delirium
• B. Delirious Aggression
• C. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
• D. Heat-Exhaustion

Answer: (A)

Excited delirium is the state that features extreme agitation with high body temperature due to sudden, severe disruption of autonomic and central nervous system regulation. Those affected are intensely agitated and often delirious, with rapid heart rate, sweating, and a dangerously elevated temperature. The combination of severe agitation and overheating can quickly lead to complications like rhabdomyolysis and electrolyte problems, making it a medical emergency.

Heat-exhaustion can raise temperature but usually lacks the level of delirium and violent agitation seen here. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome can also present with fever and autonomic instability, but it typically develops after antipsychotic exposure and includes marked muscular rigidity and a slower onset. Delirious aggression isn’t a standard diagnostic pattern for this constellation of findings.

In practice, recognizing this pattern prompts immediate safety measures, rapid cooling, and supportive care (often with benzodiazepines to reduce agitation) while assessing for underlying causes.