what is ect treatment for bipolar

What is the most effective therapy for bipolar disorder?

• Improve ability to identify and intervene early with warning signs of recurrences
• Increase acceptance of the illness
• Enhance adherence with drug regimens
• Enhance ability to cope with environmental stressors associated with symptoms
• Stabilise sleep and wake rhythms and other daily routines
• Re-engage with social, familial, and occupational roles

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What are the most common medications for bipolar disorder?

Medications for bipolar disorder include lithium, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and ketamine. Learn about their side effects and benefits.

What is the current treatment for bipolar disorder?

Treatment may include therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychoeducation, which are used to treat a variety of conditions. Treatment may also include newer therapies designed specifically for the treatment of bipolar disorder, including interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) and family-focused therapy.

Is there a cure for bipolar disorder?

While there is no magical cure for bipolar disorder, there are treatment options and lifestyle changes that can help people with bipolar disorder manage their symptoms and improve their lives. Standard treatments and natural remedies can improve a person’s mental health overall.

Does ECT treat bipolar disorder?

ECT has been known for decades to be able to improve mood. While the misuse of ECT in the past gave it a bad reputation, it's now considered a safe and effective treatment for bipolar disorder. ECT is mainly used to treat the depressive phase of bipolar disorder, but can also be used during the manic phase.

Why is ECT used for bipolar disorder?

ECT involves sending an electric current through the brain to cause a controlled seizure. It isn't entirely understood why the seizure is effective, but it's thought that it eases the symptoms of bipolar disorder by changing the brain's chemistry.

Can ECT make you manic?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective and safe treatment for mania. However, there are several articles that document induced mania due to ECT. The incidence of ECT-induced mania may be as high as 24 percent.

What are the side effects of ECT therapy?

Immediate side effectsdrowsiness (you may sleep for a while)confusion.headache.feeling sick.aching muscles.loss of appetite.

What is the success rate of ECT?

Typically, ECT (whether inpatient or outpatient) is given two to three times a week for a total of six to twelve sessions. Some patients may need more or fewer treatments. These sessions improve depression in 70 to 90 percent of patients, a response rate much higher than that of antidepressant drugs.

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.

What is the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder?

The most effective treatment for bipolar disorder is a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Most people take more than one drug, like a mood-stabilizing drug and an antipsychotic or antidepressant.

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 does ECT feel like?

On the days of an ECT treatment, some people experience nausea, headache, jaw pain or muscle ache. These generally can be treated with medications. Medical complications. As with any type of medical procedure, especially one that involves anesthesia, there are risks of medical complications.

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.

Why is ECT a last resort?

ECT is too often considered as a last resort, rather than as a first-line treatment, a status that some states have even written into law. ECT's controversial history and the consequent reluctance of patients to accept it without trying other alternatives may also be a barrier to its increased use.

What are its pros and cons of ECT?

The Pros & Cons Of ECT First and foremost, the treatment requires sedation, making recovery complex and much longer. Second, ECT has a higher chance to cause serious side effects for some individuals, including memory loss, which can deter potential patients. Pros of ECT: Safer today than previous ECT treatments.

What is ECT therapy?

It’s considered a very effective treatment for controlling and preventing episodes of mania and depression, but it’s usually used only as a last resort. Therapy, medication, and lifestyle choices are commonly used for longer periods.

What is ECT used for?

ECT is mainly used to treat the depressive phase of bipolar disorder, but can also be used during the manic phase. It has also been shown to be effective in preventing future episodes. Electroconvulsive therapy ».

What happens when you sleep with electrode pads on your head?

When you’re asleep and your muscles are relaxed, a doctor will send a small amount of electricity through your brain. This causes a seizure.

What are the side effects of ECT?

A notable side effect of modern ECT is memory loss , but it’s usually limited to the time around the therapy session. It can also cause temporary confusion. You may also have some temporary physical side effects that include: nausea. vomiting.

Is it safe to take ECT for bipolar?

ECT is often an option for people whose bipolar disorder has proven resistant to drug treatment or is causing severe episodes. It’s considered safe enough to be used on pregnant women and older adults. However, it may be risky for people with certain medical issues. And it must be done by a trained doctor and isn’t available for home use.

Is ECT a first line treatment?

Despite evidence of its effectiveness in treating bipolar disorder, ECT is considered more of a treatment of last resort rather than a first-line treatment. It’s often used when drugs are ineffective or when an episode must be treated immediately as in very severe or emergent cases.

What is the role of ECT in depression?

ECT appears to stimulate growth of neurons in the hippocampus (the area in the brain responsible for memory).

How to do ECT?

The Procedure. Hospitalization is not necessary for the treatment. In general, ECT proceeds as follows: 1 A muscle relaxant and short-acting anesthetic are administered. 2 A small amount of electric current is sent to the brain, causing a generalized seizure that lasts for about 40 seconds. 3 The response to ECT is usually very fast, and the patient often needs less medication afterward.

How does ECT work?

How ECT Works. Electroconvulsive therapy has a high success rate for treating both unipolar and bipolar depression, and mania. However, because of the convenience of drug treatment and the stigma sometimes attached to ECT therapy, ECT is usually employed after all pharmaceutical treatment options have been explored.

How long does a seizure last with ECT?

A small amount of electric current is sent to the brain, causing a generalized seizure that lasts for about 40 seconds. The response to ECT is usually very fast, and the patient often needs less medication afterward. Side Effects.

Does ECT cause cell damage?

One study that used brain scans before and after ECT found no evidence of cell damage. In another small study of teenagers who had undergone ECT for severe mood disorders, only one of 10 reported memory impairment three and one half years after the treatment. The Biologic Effects ECT on Bipolar Disorder.

Is electroconvulsive therapy life saving?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is often life-saving in severe depression and mania, but has received a lot of negative publicity.

Who prefers ECT?

Patients who simply prefer ECT. Pregnant patients. Patients who cannot tolerate drug treatments. Patients with certain types of heart problems. Young patients. In a review of studies, about 80% of ECT-treated patients experienced improvement, and for some, it is the only treatment that works. The Procedure.

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.

Abstract

We evaluated the effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in the treatment of Bipolar Disorder (BD) in a large sample of bipolar patients with drug resistant depression, mania, mixed state and catatonic features.

INTRODUCTION

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a serious and extremely recurrent illness frequently associated with cognitive and functional deterioration that poses many treatment challenges [ 1 ].

METHOD

The study was naturalistic and observational and involved 522 drug-resistant BD patients, who underwent ECT between January 2006 and May 2011 at the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Pisa, a tertiary care general psychiatric hospital in Italy. Patients were ≥18-year old and met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

RESULTS

Of the 522 patients included in the present analysis, 203 patients (38.9%) met the DSM-IV criteria for current mixed episode, 8 patients (1.5%) for current manic episode, 311 patients (59.6%) for current major depressive episode (137, 26.2%, with BD-I disorder and 174, 33.33%, with BD-II disorder).

DISCUSSION

In our patients, ECT resulted an effective treatment regardless of the phases of the disorder. We detected a clinically significant response in approximately two-thirds of the patients with severe and drug -resistant bipolar depression, mania and mixed state. Besides, in more than 80% of drug resistant catatonic patients, ECT resulted effective.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors confirm that this article content has no conflict of interest.

REFERENCES

1. Ketter T.A. Diagnostic features, prevalence, and impact of bipolar disorder. J. Clin. Psychiatry. 2010;71(6):e14. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]

Why is ECT so stigmatized?

This all depends on the severity of the case and medical history. Some of the stigmas associated with ECT are due to the high dose of electricity (without anesthesia) that were used in early treatments, long ago. This was a much more careless and risky way of treatment that has since evolved.

Is ECT safe for bipolar disorder?

While ECT is considered safe and effective at times, there is some risk for some side effects. ECT for bipolar disorder can be very effective and outweighs some of the possible side effects that may emerge. Some of these risks may include:

What is the treatment for ECT?

This typically means psychotherapy and/or medication or, in some circumstances, ongoing ECT treatments.

What is ECT therapy?

What is Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment most commonly used in patients with severe major depression or bipolar disorder that has not responded to other treatments. ECT involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia.

What are the side effects of ECT?

The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours.

How long does a seizure last after a brain surgery?

The patient's brain is stimulated with a brief controlled series of electrical pulses. This causes a seizure within the brain that lasts for approximately a minute. The patient is asleep for the procedure and awakens after 5-10 minutes, much as from minor surgery.

Is ECT effective for mental health?

ECT’s effectiveness in treating severe mental illnesses is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, and similar organizations in Canada, Great Britain and many other countries. Although ECT can be very effective for many individuals with serious mental illness, ...

Is ECT good for depression?

Extensive research has found ECT to be highly effective for the relief of major depression. Clinical evidence indicates that for individuals with uncomplicated, but severe major depression, ECT will produce substantial improvement in approximately 80 percent of patients. It is also used for other severe mental illnesses, ...

What is the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder?

Electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT) is the most effective treatment available for bipolar (or unipolar) depression (Around 78% of people who get ECT show improvement, according to an United States Food and Drug Administration analysis, this is much higher than any drug.) but ECT is often thought of as a treatment of last resort.

Is ECT a treatment?

The latest literature review by Bentall and Reid states ECT, which often causes permanent cognitive dysfunction and memory loss, " cannot be scientifically justified" as a "treatment". It causes brain damage and should not be offered as an "option" to sick, vulnerable people.

Overview

• Prior to ECT treatment, a person is given a muscle relaxant and put under general anesthesia. Electrodes are placed on the patient's scalp, and an electric current is applied that causes a brief seizure. Because the muscles are relaxed, the seizure will usually be limited to slight movement …

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Why It's Done

Risks

How You Prepare

What You Can Expect

• 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. ECT often works when other treatments are unsucce...

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