Should we stop using electroconvulsive therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has a long history and pre-dates current drug treatments in psychiatry. It continues to attract controversy about the balance between its efficacy and adverse effects in a highly polarised debate (e.g. Read Reference Read, Cunliffe and Jauhar 2019b).. The review in this month's Review Corner (Read Reference Read, Cunliffe and Jauhar 2019a) is written from a ...
What is the success rate of ECT therapy?
What is the Success Rate of Electroconvulsive Therapy? ECT is an effective medical treatment option, helping as many as 80-85 percent of patients who receive it. Most patients remain well for many months afterwards. The tendency to relapse after a favorable treatment outcome can often be countered by medication after a series of treatments.
Is ECT worth it?
Is ECT worth it? – The effectiveness of ECT Researchers and healthcare professionals have observed the life-changing and life-saving benefits of electroconvulsive therapy for decades and some of them describe modern ECT as the fastest and most effective way for patients to completely recover from depression.
How effective is ECT therapy?
This report stated that ECT was an effective treatment for severe depression, mania and some states of psychosis, leading to remission in 60% to 70% of cases. The therapy was not shown to be effective, however, as a treatment for dysthymia, anxiety disorder, personality disorder or substance abuse.
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Why is ECT so effective?
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 ECT electroconvulsive therapy and what is it still used for today?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure that uses a mild electrical current to cause a brief seizure. This treatment effectively treats severe mental health conditions, including depression, schizophrenia, and more.
Is ECT an effective treatment for depression?
“ECT is the most effective treatment available for severe and treatment-resistant depression, but it requires anesthesia and can cause side effects like memory loss,” says Irving Michael Reti, M.B.B.S., M.D., director of the Brain Stimulation Program and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the ...
What is the most common indication of ECT?
Indications. ECT is indicated for selected patients with catatonia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other disorders. Considered one of the most lethal psychiatric disorders, few treatments are currently available for the treatment of catatonia.
Is electroconvulsive therapy used for schizophrenia?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was initially used for the treatment of schizophrenia, but over the years with the advent of antipsychotics, its use in schizophrenia has been limited. Treatment guidelines vary in their recommendations for the use of ECT in schizophrenia.
For which disorder was electroconvulsive therapy ECT originally developed as a treatment?
Electroconvulsive therapy was born. In 1938, Cerletti and his psychiatrist colleague Lucio Bini developed the first ECT device and treated their first human patient, a diagnosed schizophrenic with delusions, hallucinations, and confusion.
Is ECT effective for anxiety?
Electroconvulsive therapy is effective in the acute treatment of major depressive disorder patients associated with anxiety symptoms. Anxiety symptoms improved less than depression symptoms during acute electroconvulsive therapy.
What symptoms does ECT help with?
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.More items...•
How does ECT work 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. Electroconvulsive therapy is performed in the hospital.
Which of the following conditions is known to have the best response to ECT?
Psychosis is perhaps the best-established predictor of ECT response. More than a dozen studies, from the 1950s to the recent Consortium for Research in ECT (CORE) multicenter study, show better response rates for this severe form of depression, in which delusions, paranoia, or both are present.
Which client would be a candidate for ECT?
Who's a Candidate. ECTs are for people who are not responding to medication and other treatment methods for depression. The classic example is the use of ECT for a person with major depressive disorder who does not respond to large doses of an antidepressant and psychotherapy.
What is electroconvulsive therapy?
When medication fails to ease the symptoms of clinical depression, there are other options to try. Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), for example, can be used to treat major depression that hasn't responded to standard treatments.
When is ECT used?
ECT is generally used when severe depression is unresponsive to other forms of therapy. Or it might be used when patients pose a severe threat to themselves or others and it is too dangerous to wait until medications take effect. Although ECT has been used since the 1940s and 1950s, it remains misunderstood by the general public.
How does ECT work?
With ECT, an electric current is briefly applied through the scalp to the brain, inducing a seizure. In addition, alternative therapies such as yoga and hypnosis sometimes work for mild depression.
How often is ECT given?
The confusion typically lasts for only a short period of time. ECT is usually given up to three times a week for a total of two to four weeks.
Why does TMS work?
The current is caused by the magnetic field created by an electromagnetic coil that delivers the pulses through the forehead. Approved by the FDA in 2008 for treatment-resistant depression, TMS works best in patients who have failed to benefit from one, but not two or more, antidepressant treatments.
What is brain stimulation?
Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), for example, can be used to treat major depression that hasn't responded to standard treatments. The least invasive of these techniques is called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in which a magnetic field is created by a device held above the head, ...
What is experimental therapy?
Experimental therapies are treatments that are not regularly used by doctors. Their safety and effectiveness are still being studied. Some experimental therapies currently being investigated for treatment of depression include: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women: Depression is more common in women than in men.
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.
How often is TMS given?
TMS is usually administered four or five times a week for four-to-six weeks. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) was developed as a treatment for seizure disorders but can also be used to treat depression that has not responded to other therapies.
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.
Does TMS cause seizure?
It involves the use of rapidly alternating magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain. Unlike ECT, TMS does not cause a seizure and the patient remains awake through the noninvasive process. TMS typically only has mild side effects including headaches, muscle twitches and pain at the stimulation site.
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, ...
What is Electroconvulsive Therapy?
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment that involves sending brief electric currents to the brain, keeping the patient under general anesthesia. The whole process is operated by professional medical persons who have previous experience of doing this.
How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works?
In Electroconvulsive Therapy, small electric currents are sent to the brain. Those cause a seizure. Researchers haven’t found yet how the electric currents work to alter the symptoms of depression.
ECT Electrode Placement Techniques
Electroconvulsive Therapy includes the placement of electrodes near the brain of the patients. Depending on the point where to set the electrodes, ECT is divided into some common types. These are-
What is Electroconvulsive Therapy Used for?
Electroconvulsive Therapy is used to treat severe symptoms of some mental health issues. This is an effective therapy that has the ability to bring quick and significant improvement in mental health conditions.
How Long Does Electroconvulsive Therapy Last?
If you ask about the length of a single Electroconvulsive Therapy session, the answer is about 1 hour. This 1 hour includes the preparation for the therapy, time spent in the treatment room, and time spent in the recovery room.
How much does Electroconvulsive Therapy Cost?
Electroconvulsive Therapy is a costly therapy if you consider the cost of each session as it includes anesthesia and medical arrangement in each session. Let’s see the typical cost of ECT.
Is Electroconvulsive Therapy Safe?
Electroconvulsive Therapy is a great treatment option for people with mental health issues that medicine can’t cure. But as it includes the process of passing electricity through the brain, there is a question- is it safe?
What Is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)?
During ECT, patients are placed under general anesthesia. Then, electrical currents are passed through the brain to create a mild seizure, which creates changes to the neurons and chemicals in the brain.
What Is ECT Used For?
ECT is an effective treatment for severe depression. Because ECT relieves symptoms quickly, it is used with severe or suicidal depression. It is also used for people whose symptoms of depression have not been relieved by medication.
ECT Side Effects
While modern electroconvulsive therapy has fewer adverse effects than historical use, there are still some that patients may experience. These include:
Other Brain Stimulation Therapies
In addition to ECT, there are several other brain stimulation therapies that are used to treat some mental health disorders.
Is ECT Right For You?
ECT may be a treatment option for you if medications or other forms of therapy haven’t worked well. It can also be an option if a treatment is needed to act quickly to reduce the chances of suicide. If you are currently suicidal, reach out for help:
What is ECT therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for certain psychiatric disorders. ECT is most commonly used to treat severe depression (major depression). It is often the fastest and best treatment available for this illness. ECT is also sometimes used to treat other psychiatric disorders, such as:
Why do doctors suggest ECT?
If your doctor suggests that you be treated with ECT, it is because he or she believes that you have a disorder that will improve with ECT. Discuss this with your doctor. Before ECT begins, your doctor will carefully assess your medical condition to make sure that ECT is safe for you.
How long after ECT can you drive?
Because of the short-lived side effects on your memory, it is important that you postpone any major decisions until a week or two after the ECT course. It is also important that you do not drive during your course of ECT.
What to do if you have a heart condition?
If you have a heart condition, your doctor will take special care to monitor your heart and take other precautions with you, so that the treatment is as safe as possible. For instance, he or she might give you medicines to offset the effects of the ECT, if necessary.
What is the name of the device that measures electrical activity in the heart?
● Place electrodes on your chest, so that they can measure the electrical activity in your heart. To do this, they will use a device called an ECG, or "electrocardiogram.".
How many times a week do you get ECT?
The treatments are usually given three times a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Can ECT cause muscle soreness?
The muscle relaxant may cause mild muscle soreness after the treatment, but this soreness will pass. Once your medical team is sure that you are deeply asleep and that your muscles are completely relaxed, they will administer the ECT treatment.
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: 1. Severe depression,particularly when accompanied by detachment from reality (psychosis), a desire to commit suicide or refusal to e…
Risks
- Although ECT is generally safe, risks and side effects may include: 1. 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. Confusion is generally more noticeable in older adults. 2. Memory loss.Some people hav…
How You Prepare
- Before having your first ECT treatment, you'll need a full evaluation, which usually includes: 1. Medical history 2. Complete physical exam 3. Psychiatric assessment 4. Basic blood tests 5. Electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart health 6. Discussion of the risks of anesthesia These exams help make sure that ECT is safe for you.
What You Can Expect
- The ECT procedure takes about five to 10 minutes, with added time for preparation and recovery. ECT can be done while you're hospitalized or as an outpatient procedure.
Results
- Many people begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms after about six treatments with electroconvulsive therapy. Full improvement may take longer, though ECT may not work for everyone. Response to antidepressant medications, in comparison, can take several weeks or more. No one knows for certain how ECT helps treat severe depression and other mental illness…
Does Ect Work?
What Are The Steps Involved When Getting ect?
What Are The Risks and Benefits?
- ECT is among the safest and most effective treatments available for depression. With ECT, electrodes are placed on the patient's scalp and a finely controlled electric current is applied while the patient is under general anesthesia. The current causes a brief seizure in the brain. ECT is one of the fastest ways to relieve symptoms in severely depr...
Other Brain Stimulation Treatments
Resources
- 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, such as bipolar disorder an...