ect for depression who does the treatment

What is ECT and how does it treat depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). While you're asleep, a carefully measured dose of electricity is passed through your brain, intentionally triggering a small, brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can relatively quickly reverse symptoms of major depression.

How much ECT is used to treat depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is sometimes used for severely manic or depressed patients and for those who don't For those people who usually become depressed in winter, sitting for 20 minutes to 30 minutes a day in front of a special light box with a full-spectrum light can help treat depression.

How does ECT relieve depression?

Today's ECT is much more refined and gentle — and traditionally is one of the most powerful weapons against particularly deep, persistent and debilitating depressions. However, it is expensive, must be performed in a hospital and requires anesthesia, which turns away some of the people who might benefit from it, Olivas says.

How successful is ECT for depression?

Studies have shown that ECT works for many people who have treatment-resistant depression. One study of 39 people with treatment-resistant depression compared the effects of an antidepressant with ECT. After two to three weeks, 71% of people who received ECT had a positive response to treatment.

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Can a psychiatrist do ECT?

ECT involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia. It is typically administered by a team of trained medical professionals that includes a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist, and a nurse or physician assistant.

Who qualifies for ECT?

Who can get ECT in California? Any adult age 18 or older with an appropriate clinical diagnosis and who is capable of giving voluntary informed consent can receive ECT. Others, including adolescents between 13 and 17 years of age, may receive ECT after special reviews and legal procedures are followed.

What client teaching will the nurse provide prior to electroconvulsive therapy?

Before ECT, patients are asked not to eat or drink from midnight the night before treatment. During the procedure, the patient receives a short acting anesthetic agent which puts the patient to sleep for approximately 5-10 minutes.

Do doctors still use ECT?

But electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is still being used -- more in Europe than the United States -- and it may be the most effective short-term treatment for some patients with depressive symptoms, a newly published review in the journal The Lancet suggests.

Is consent required for ECT?

Written informed consent remains the standard before the initiation of ECT and requires the inclusion of several components to be considered valid. Prospective patients must be aware of risks and benefits of ECT as well as risks and benefits of alternate, and potentially less effective, interventions.

Which patient is the best candidate for electroconvulsive therapy ECT?

Psychotic depression is often considered an indication for first-line treatment with ECT. Patients with melancholic depression have not emerged in modern datasets as responding better than those with non-melancholic depressions.

Can nurses perform ECT?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly technical procedure requiring a team that consists of an anesthetist, a psychiatrist, a clinical nurse specialist, and recovery nurses.

What is the role of nurse in electroconvulsive therapy?

Obtain an informed consent from the patient and the carer. Respond to patient's concerns and feelings. Educate the patient concerning the procedure and explain to the patient the necessary tasks associated with ECT.

What does an ECT nurse do?

The nurse serves as a liaison between the psychiatry and anesthesia departments and the outpatient and ECT treatment team. This facilitates obtaining necessary medical evaluations or preparations prior to treatments. This may involve coordinating blood tests, EKGs, x-rays, or medical consultations.

Does ECT worsen anxiety?

The concern of some psychiatrists is that while ECT may help with depressive symptoms, it could worsen anxiety symptoms, including obsessional thoughts or panic attacks.

Can ECT change your personality?

ECT does not change a person's personality, nor is it designed to treat those with just primary “personality disorders.” ECT can cause transient short-term memory — or new learning — impairment during a course of ECT, which fully reverses usually within one to four weeks after an acute course is stopped.

When should ECT not be used?

The following strategies should not be used routinely: augmentation of an antidepressant with a benzodiazepine for more than 2 weeks as there is a risk of dependence. augmentation of an antidepressant with buspirone*, carbamazepine*, lamotrigine* or valproate* as there is insufficient evidence for their use.

How many ECT sessions are needed?

The number of required sessions varies. Many people have six to 12 sessions administered 2-3 times per week over a period of several weeks. After initial treatment, you might require further ECT treatments in addition to depression medicine and therapy to prevent your depression from returning.

What are the risks of ECT?

Risks and Side Effects of ECT. The most common side effect of ECT is short-term memory loss. However, some people report that they have long-term memory loss, as well. ECT also causes a brief rise in heart rate and blood pressure during the procedure, so it may not be recommended in people with unstable heart problems.

How does electroconvulsive therapy work?

How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works. With ECT, an electrical stimulation is delivered to the brain and causes a seizure. For reasons that doctors don't completely understand, this seizure helps relieve the symptoms of depression. ECT does not cause any structural damage to the brain.

What is the best treatment for depression?

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for Depression. For some people with severe or hard-to-treat depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the best treatment. This treatment, sometimes referred to as "electroshock therapy," is often misunderstood and incorrectly portrayed by popular media as a harsh, cruel treatment.

Does ECT work for depression?

Studies have shown that ECT works for many people who have treatment-resistant depression. One study of 39 people with treatment-resistant depression compared the effects of an antidepressant with ECT. After two to three weeks, 71% of people who received ECT had a positive response to treatment.

Does ECT cause brain damage?

ECT does not cause any structural damage to the brain. The procedure itself typically requires a stay in the hospital, although more and more it is being performed on an outpatient basis. During the procedure, you will be put to sleep under general anesthesia. You won't feel anything.

Is electroshock therapy a painless procedure?

In reality, it is a painless medical procedure performed under general anesthesia that is considered one of the most effective treatments for severe depression. It can be lifesaving.

What is ECT used for?

ECT is used to treat: Severe depression, particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to eat. Treatment-resistant depression, a severe depression that doesn't improve with medications or other treatments. Severe mania, a state of intense euphoria, agitation or hyperactivity ...

What is ECT in medical terms?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure, done under general anesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental health conditions.

Why is electroconvulsive therapy used?

Why it's done. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can provide rapid, significant improvements in severe symptoms of several mental health conditions. ECT is used to treat: Severe depression, particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to eat. Treatment-resistant depression, ...

How often do you get ECT?

In the United States, ECT treatments are generally given two to three times weekly for three to four weeks — for a total of six to 12 treatments. Some doctors use a newer technique called right unilateral ultrabrief pulse electroconvulsive therapy that's done daily on weekdays.

How long after ECT can you drive?

However, some people may be advised not to return to work, make important decisions, or drive until one to two weeks after the last ECT in a series, or for at least 24 hours after a single treatment during maintenance therapy.

What is the test called when you have a seizure?

Internally, activity in your brain increases dramatically. A test called an electroencephalogram (EEG) records the electrical activity in your brain. Sudden, increased activity on the EEG signals the beginning of a seizure, followed by a leveling off that shows the seizure is over.

Is it safe to take ECT?

Risks. Although ECT is generally safe, risks and side effects may include: Confusion. Immediately after treatment, you may experience confusion, which can last from a few minutes to several hours. You may not know where you are or why you're there. Rarely, confusion may last several days or longer.

What is ECT?

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a depression treatment that involves the stimulation of the brain with a controlled electrical current.

What Does ECT Treat?

ECT treats severe resistant depression and although it is exactly unclear to scientists and researchers how ECT is so effective, it has proven to be quite effective.

How Effective is ECT for Depression?

Over the past 2 or 3 decades, research has shown that about 47% to 75% of patients who have undergone the procedure have fully recovered from their depressive symptoms.

Side Effects of ECT

Electroconvulsive Therapy is a generally safe treatment for depression but like every other treatment, there are a few side effects.

ECT vs Other Treatment Options That Work

Depression is one of the easiest mental illnesses to tackle today because there are many treatment options.

How We Can Help You

TMS is the future of depression therapy and we are excited to be a part of this movement.

What Is ECT?

Electroconvulsive therapy is an approved and regulated mental health treatment for people with psychological issues that are not well-managed with other interventions. ECT uses electrical current to “rewire” the brain in a safe and comfortable way (actually, the anesthesia and muscle relaxants don’t rewire the brain.

What Can Electroconvulsive Therapy Help With?

With the ability of ECT to reset or rewire the brain’s activity, the treatment can help with a range of symptoms and conditions. Whether a person has been struggling with a mental health condition for decades or they are experiencing a new or worsening symptom, electroconvulsive therapy could offer relief that is quick and effective.

How Does ECT Work?

Even though ECT is completed to help with mental health concerns, the process may feel more like a medical procedure. In many cases, providers perform the treatment in an acute care hospital under the supervision of medical and mental health professionals.

Is ECT Effective?

ECT is very effective, but the treatment may not be equally effective for all symptoms and situations. Overall, for a certain subset of people who cannot use psychiatric medications or have mental health conditions, like chronic depression, intense bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, ECT is a valid treatment option worthy of consideration.

Cost of Electroconvulsive Therapy

Because ECT is a medical procedure that requires the time, space, and resources of several medical professionals, the treatment is expensive, especially when compared to medication or therapy services. One ECT treatment can cost as much as $1,000, while a year of antidepressant medication costs just a few hundred dollars. 7

History of ECT

The principles of ECT date back to the 1930s when neuropsychiatrists and neurologists explored the relationships between seizure activity and mental health issues. In 1938, Ugo Cerletti first used electricity as a way to trigger a seizure. 6

How to Find an Electroconvulsive Therapy Provider

Because ECT is not as widely available as therapy or medication services, a person may have to look deeper to find an ECT provider. There may not be a national directory of ECT providers, but someone interested in ECT can refer to an online directory or complete an online search for local ECT providers.

What is true about every patient who seeks treatment with ECT?

Ultimately, Seiner said, two things are true generally about every patient who seeks treatment with ECT. “One is that they’re really struggling, and two, they’re terrified about what we do. It’s important to get them better, but our job is to walk them through it, to be there with them. This is what we’re committed to.

How effective is ECT?

What is clear is that for severe illness, such as psychotic depression or catatonia, where patients can lose 40-50 pounds and can be at some risk of death, ECT has been shown to be 80-95% effective.

How long after ECT do you get better?

The research indicates that if you wait two months after ECT, or six months, after the ‘dust’ of the ECT has settled, most people do much better on neuropsychological testing than they did before ECT. That’s because when people aren’t depressed, they think better and test better.”.

How long was Brian Neville in bed?

Brian Neville recalls once spending 19 days curled up in a ball in bed, unable to do simple tasks and finding no enjoyment in anything he did. Then he was referred to McLean.

How many people are affected by depression?

355 million people are affected by depression, making it one of the most common disorders in the world. “There can be a biological predisposition, but there is often a trigger, and we just don’t always know what that trigger is,” explained Seiner.

Can seizures reset the brain?

Scientists know seizures can reset brain function. And because brain activity involves electrical signals passing through neurons, ECT “is like when you reboot your computer when something has gone awry,” said Paula Bolton, MS, APRN-BC, program director of McLean’s Psychiatric Neurotherapeutics Program.

Can depression make you think straight?

In the most severe cases, depression can make it impossible for a person to function. “It affects you so that sometimes you can’t think straight,” said Seiner.

Abstract

Depression is one of the most common disorders causing mortality around the world. Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is, along with antidepressants and psychotherapy, one of the three major treatments of depression, it is still considered as the last resort for depressed patients.

Introduction

Depression, the most prevalent mood disorder worldwide, has been indicated as an increasing social burden and as causing a significant proportion of mortality. Depression, occurring beyond or around and even among us, is the most common mental illness. Several hypotheses have been proposed for the cause of depression ( Malhi and Mann, 2018 ).

Searching Strategy and Selection Criteria

We searched PubMed for studies published between June 1, 2010, and June 1, 2018, using the terms “depression,” “depressive disorder,” and “depressive disorder, major,” with specifiers “therapy” as well as “ECT,” “electroconvulsive shock,” and “electroconvulsive seizure.” In addition, we retrospectively pooled studies conducted by the CORE/PRIDE Work Group.

Clinical Studies of ECT

Upon its introduction, more than half a century ago, ECT has been applied to benefit patients in clinical application, especially for mental disorders ( Husain et al., 2004; Liang et al., 2018; Osler et al., 2018 ). Generally, only if medication and psychotherapy are unsuccessful is ECT considered. ECT was generally underused.

Safety and Effectiveness of ECT

Electroconvulsive therapy was shown to be a relatively safe method to treat depression and remedy treatment-resistant patients. Continuation ECT alone or continuation ECT combined with medication was favorable to remaining in a remission state after response to ECT.

The Potential Mechanism of ECS

With regard to the mechanism of ECS on neurogenesis, the increased volume of specific regions of the brain with the application of ECS has been demonstrated. This increase was associated with improved behavior and neuroplasticity ( Madsen et al., 2005; Kyeremanteng et al., 2014; Luo et al., 2015 ).

Discussion

With regard to clinical utilization of ECT, many studies favor its effectiveness and relative safety. ECT had been introduced to treat diseases for decades, leading more researchers to investigate modified current ECT and explore its clinical indication. Without question, ECT alleviated depressive symptoms.

Overview

Why It's Done

Risks

• Studies have shown that ECT works for many people who have treatment-resistant depression. One study of 39 people with treatment-resistant depression compared the effects of an antidepressant with ECT. After two to three weeks, 71% of people who received ECT had a positive response to treatment. But only 28% who received the antidepressant had a po...

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How You Prepare

What You Can Expect

• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can provide rapid, significant improvements in severe symptoms of several mental health conditions. ECT is used to treat: 1. Severe depression,particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to eat. 2. Treatment-resistant depression,a severe depression that ...

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