ECT in the present era of medicine is safe and bona fide therapy. The reason for the bad reputation is because delivery of ECT in the older days was never controlled and complications were never anticipated. Today, a lot more is known about the therapy and both delivery and safety have been refined and improved to near perfection.
Who is a candidate for ECT?
ECT is generally reserved for individuals who have:
- severe depression, accompanied by acute psychosis or suicidal ideations
- failed to respond to a variety of standard anti depressant drugs
- side effects or are unable to tolerate anti depressant drugs
- mild to moderate degree of psychosis which does not warrant the use of life long
drug therapy
- depression but have failed to respond to all forms of other therapies
Electroconvulsive therapy is a very effective and rapidly acting treatment for severe major depression. ECT has been found to be beneficial in individuals who suffer with some forms of mania (a mood episode which is associated with grandiose, hyperactive, irrational, and destructive behavior). When it comes to treatment of other mental health disorders like schizoaffective disorder, catatonia or Parkinson's disease, the role of ECT therapy is questionable.
ECT even though an effective treatment has been under utilized in the USA even though there are close to 9 million America who suffer from depression. Data indicate that only about 330,000 individuals have received ECT. ECT is delivered as an outpatient treatment.
Showing posts with label mania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mania. Show all posts
Saturday, February 14, 2009
What is status of Electroconvulsive therapy today? Part 1
After nearly 30 years of extensive use, there is no doubt that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is beneficial in the treatment of some patients with depression. However, the use of ECT in schizophrenia, mania or other mental health disorders is in limbo.
The majority of studies of ECT on mania and schizophrenia are difficult to interpret and the results remain inconclusive. Today, ECT is not a part of the therapeutic regimen of these disorders, except for a few isolated cases.
A lot of evidence exists which shows that ECT is a good form of therapy for individuals with depression. In many instances it has even been shown to be more effective than the conventional drug therapy using anti depressants. Over the years, psychiatrists have learnt that entire brain stimulation produces significantly much better results than stimulating only one half of the brain. Further, like all things American, more is better- meaning that a higher current produces better and long lasting results than use of low current.
In the past, individuals who received ECT were never thoroughly investigated or followed up. Misconceptions of the treatment arose because of anecdotal reports by patients and non health care professionals. The background of the patient, his/her co morbidity, personality, use of medications and other medical problems were never taken into account and everything negative was blamed on ECT.
Further during the evolution of the treatment many of the psychiatrists also failed to maintain safeguards to protect the patient. Infact for the major part of the history of ECT it was felt that the treatment created monsters. Today a lot has changed.
The majority of studies of ECT on mania and schizophrenia are difficult to interpret and the results remain inconclusive. Today, ECT is not a part of the therapeutic regimen of these disorders, except for a few isolated cases.
A lot of evidence exists which shows that ECT is a good form of therapy for individuals with depression. In many instances it has even been shown to be more effective than the conventional drug therapy using anti depressants. Over the years, psychiatrists have learnt that entire brain stimulation produces significantly much better results than stimulating only one half of the brain. Further, like all things American, more is better- meaning that a higher current produces better and long lasting results than use of low current.
In the past, individuals who received ECT were never thoroughly investigated or followed up. Misconceptions of the treatment arose because of anecdotal reports by patients and non health care professionals. The background of the patient, his/her co morbidity, personality, use of medications and other medical problems were never taken into account and everything negative was blamed on ECT.
Further during the evolution of the treatment many of the psychiatrists also failed to maintain safeguards to protect the patient. Infact for the major part of the history of ECT it was felt that the treatment created monsters. Today a lot has changed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
