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Is ECT used for severe depression?
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 is the success rate of ECT for depression?
These sessions improve depression in 70 to 90 percent of patients, a response rate much higher than that of antidepressant drugs. Although ECT is effective, its benefits are short-lived.
Is ECT scientifically proven?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is utilized worldwide for various severe and treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. Research studies have shown that ECT is the most effective and rapid treatment available for elderly patients with depression, bipolar disorder and psychosis.
What is the effectiveness rate of ECT in severe treatment-resistant depression?
A naturalistic study that analyzed 38 patients who showed severe resistant to treatment, concluded that ECT is highly effective and showed a higher than 50% remission rate (40).
Does ECT increase serotonin?
Conclusion. Altogether, our results showed that serum serotonin levels significantly increase following ECT in MDD patients.
What is the failure rate of ECT?
Not only does it work better than medications (according to Weeks, medications have a success rate of 50–60 percent of patients getting better, while ECT succeeds at a rate of 70–90 percent), it works faster. Medications typically take up to eight weeks to show improvement.
Who is a good candidate for ECT?
People who have had ECT before and responded well are good candidates for ECT. Other first-line indications for the procedure include people who are catatonic or suffering from a form of depression known as psychotic depression (depression associated with delusions and hallucinations).
Who should not get ECT?
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. In pregnant patients, ECT does not pose any serious risk to the fetus, or the expectant mother.
Who should not use ECT?
Do not use electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) routinely for people with moderate depression but consider it if their depression has not responded to multiple drug treatments and psychological treatment.
How does ECT relieve depression?
Today’s ECT is much more refined and gentle — and traditionally is one of the most powerful weapons against particularly deep, persistent and debilitating depressions. However, it is expensive, must be performed in a hospital and requires anesthesia, which turns away some of the people who might benefit from it, Olivas says.
What are the best medications for severe depression?
Confirm the diagnosis. Some people who apparently have treatment-resistant depression were misdiagnosed.
How many ECT treatments are needed?
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. Your doctor will determine how many you need depending on your response. After patients have received a course of ECT they’re usually placed back on medication.
What are the side effects of ECT treatment?
Memory loss. Many people experience memory loss after having ECT. Some people find this only lasts for a short time and their memories gradually return as they recover from ECT.