ECT electroconvuslive therapy electroshock side effects

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What Internists and everybody else should know about ECT

How commonly prescribed medications and medical conditions affect ECT is written in a recent article in Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. This article: Electroconvulsive Therapy: What the Internist needs to know, can be downloaded for free. It is an excellent clearly understandable written article. Even patients can benefit from the presentation of all this knowledge and discuss some points made in this article with their psychaitrist and consulting internists.

It starts with an accurate description of the history of ECT, indications, but more important which medical assessments are needed and when. Comprehensively the authors divided the medical conditions that may require more extensive workup in three categories:
1. Patients with autonomic sensitivity
2. Patients with anesthesia sensitivity
3. Patients with cognitive sensitivity

These conditions that require special considerations are summarized in a table

Another important topic for extra workup and considerations before ECT are medication use. These medications are also summarized in a clear table.

Article discussed:
MAYUR PANDYA, DO LEOPOLDO POZUELO, MD DONALD MALONE, MD Electroconvulsive therapy: What the Internist needs to know
CLEVELAND CLINIC JOURNAL OF MEDICINE VOLUME 74 • NUMBER 9 679-685 SEPTEMBER 2007