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. Resuming activities depends on when memory loss and confusion are resolved. Results
Full Answer
What are the long term side effects of ECT?
Not everyone is a candidate for treatment even if they believe ECT could help them. For example, children under age eleven cannot undergo ECT for mental health disorders. People with heart conditions and people who cannot handle short-acting sedatives or muscle relaxers should not undergo ECT treatments.
What is the maximum number of ECT treatments?
Objective: To familiarize the reader with the role of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in current psychiatric medicine. Method: We review clinical indications for ECT, patient selection, contemporary ECT practice, maintenance treatment and ECT in major treatment guidelines. Results: ECT is underutilized largely due to persisting stigma and lack of knowledge about …
When is it the right time to stop fertility treatments?
Jan 30, 2019 · Electroconvulsive therapy has no long term benefits compared with placebo and often causes brain damage, say John Read and Sue Cunliffe . But Sameer Jauhar and Declan M McLoughlin argue that evidence shows ECT is effective and safe in depression and that adverse side effects can be managed Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was first administered in 1938. …
How to know when it is time to stop therapy?
Apr 19, 2016 · Introduction. Several evidence-based documents on the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) indicate that it is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of psychiatric disorders. 1 – 3 Although major depression refractory to antidepressant medications is the primary indication for ECT, there is also significant evidence to support its use in other …
Why is ECT used?
ECT is still used 80 years on because evidence shows it is effective for treatment resistant depression, which is often severe and sometimes life threatening, as well as resistant mania and catatonia. ECT is approved for these indications by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and in international guidelines. 21 22 Additionally, ECT is cost effective and improves quality of life. 23 In England 0.43 per 10 000 population are treated annually with ECT, and worldwide about a million people have ECT each year. 24 25
When was electroconvulsive therapy first used?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was first administered in 1938. The first study, in 1951, showed that people who had had ECT fared worse than those who hadn’t. 1. Today, positive, evidence based, risk-benefit analyses are required for treatments.
How long does an ECT last?
This causes a small amount of electric current to pass through the electrodes to your brain, producing a seizure that usually lasts less than 60 seconds.
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.
What are the signs of mania?
Other signs of mania include impaired decision-making, impulsive or risky behavior, substance abuse, and psychosis. Catatonia, characterized by lack of movement, fast or strange movements, lack of speech, and other symptoms. It's associated with schizophrenia and certain other psychiatric disorders.
How long does confusion last?
Rarely, confusion may last several days or longer. Confusion is generally more noticeable in older adults. Memory loss. Some people have trouble remembering events that occurred right before treatment or in the weeks or months before treatment or, rarely, from previous years.
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.
Can anesthesia cause heart problems?
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. During ECT, heart rate and blood pressure increase, and in rare cases, that can lead to serious heart problems.
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 ...
How long does an ECT last?
A single ECT session usually lasts one hour. This includes the time the patient will be in the treatment room (approximately 15-20 minutes) and the time spent in the recovery room (approximately 20-30 minutes). Typically, ECT (whether inpatient or outpatient) is given two to three times a week for a total of six to twelve sessions.
How does ECT work?
Why does ECT work? No one is sure how ECT helps certain psychiatric disorders. It may promote changes in how brain cells communicate with each other at synapses and it may stimulate the development of new brain cells. ECT may flood the brain with neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which are known to be involved in conditions like ...
What are the side effects of a syringe?
The immediate side effects of the procedure which may last for about an hour include: 1 Headaches 2 Nausea 3 Muscle aches and soreness 4 Disorientation and confusion
How long does ECT last?
Maintenance ECT involves getting treatments every two weeks to every month, usually for a period of six months to a year. But patients have gone on maintenance ECT for up to three years, depending on their response.
How long does it take for ECT to relapse?
However patients given medication after ECT have about a 50/50 chance of relapsing or having another episode of depression. Usually this episode occurs within one to three months ...
How many times a week is ECT given?
Answer: ECT is usually given two or three times a week -- usually on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Typically the ECT treatment course lasts eight to 12 treatments -- sometimes as few as six, sometimes as many as 15 treatments can occur in a course.
What is ECT treatment?
The ECT treating team requests the family’s feedback in assessing a patient’s improvement. Families can assist with transportation and supportive care after ECT. Families commonly are able to see progress in the patient’s activity before the patient actually feels better.
What are the side effects of ECT?
The immediate side effects of the procedure may include: 1 Headaches, which are commonly relieved with ice packs and ibuprofen after ECT. If that doesn't help, Toradol IV may be added at the next ECT treatment to prevent headache. 2 Nausea: IV Zofran may be added at the next ECT procedure to prevent nausea. 3 Muscle aches: These tend to occur in the first and second treatments and tend to resolve thereafter. 4 Disorientation and confusion: Some patients develop memory problems associated with ECT. Memories developed around the time of ECT have a greater chance of not being recalled while those formed long before ECT generally are not altered. The ability to form new memories can be impaired during and after an acute series of ECT treatments but this ability makes a full recovery in about 2 weeks from the last treatment.
What is ECT used for?
ECT is used in people with treatment-resistant depression, mania, and psychosis from schizophrenia. Most people are receiving ECT for treatment-resistant depression, when antidepressant medication and psychotherapy have not worked.
How does ECT work?
ECT appears to increase neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine. ECT also increases BDNF, brain derived neurotrophic factor , which can help the brain cells grow.
What is maintenance ECT?
Maintenance ECT is for patients who cannot remain well after an acute course of ECT. Generally, we will offer an acute series of ECT only. Many patients remain well while staying on antidepressant therapy, such as nortriptyline and lithium.
How long does a seizure last?
The seizure itself tends to last 20 to 60 seconds, but can last as long as 3 minutes. Patients wake up several minutes after the seizure stops. Patients are then transferred to the recovery area. They stay until blood pressure and alertness have returned to normal, which usually takes about 20 minutes.
How long does it take to get ECT treatment?
Generally, ECT is a short-term treatment where the patient receives 6-12 treatments over the course of 2-4 weeks.
What is maintenance ECT?
Maintenance ECT consists of ECT treatments given infrequently over a long period of time after the index series and continuation ECT. The goal of maintenance ECT is to prevent the reoccurrence of the mental illness.
Why do people need ECT?
Maintenance ECT: Why Some People Need Continuation ECT. Electroconvulsive therapy, once known as shock therapy, is a safe and effective treatment for depression and other mental illnesses. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is most often used in cases of severe, intractable, hard to treat (treatment-resistant) depression.
Can ECT cause relapse?
Relapse after a positive response to ECT is common. Most frequently, prevention of relapse is accomplished through the use of medication but continuation ECT has also been shown effective for the prevention of illness relapse.
Overview
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 eat. 2. Treatment-resistant depression,a severe depression that doesn't improve with medications o…
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 othe...