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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). ECT. First used: in the 1930’s (under the name electroshock) Used for : Mostly for severe depression. Also for mania (bipolar disorder) and catatonia. Today an estimated 1 million people receive ECT every year.

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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

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  1. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

  2. ECT • First used: in the 1930’s (under the name electroshock) • Used for : Mostly for severe depression. Also for mania (bipolar disorder) and catatonia. • Today an estimated 1 million people receive ECT every year. • Dosage: usually in a course of 6- 12 treatments administered 2 or 3 times a week. • Rarely used as a first line of treatment. • About 70 percent of ECT patients are women ( women are twice as likely to suffer from depression)

  3. Is it effective? • Should only be used as a short-term treatment for an acute illness. (1999, US Surgeon Generals support) • 64% of patients relapse within 6 months. (Study from 2004) • ^ Relapse percentage is reduced by use of psychiatric medicine or longer periods of ECT. • ^ ECT on its own does not have a sustained benefit.

  4. ECT and the patient • General physical risk is that the patient is placed under Anaesthesia. • Most common adverse effects are confusion and memory loss. • Can be tolerated by pregnant, diabetic and obese patients, as well as patients with cancer in remission. • It can be used very cautiously on patients with epileptic or neurological disorders.

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