- Psychiatric Times Vol 27 No 5
- Volume 27
- Issue 5
Speed of Response to ECT
The overall effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is well known, but its speed of action is much less talked about. Here I review what is known about the time course of action of ECT in depression.
The overall effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is well known, but its speed of action is much less talked about. Here I review what is known about the time course of action of ECT in depression.
Most patients who are referred for ECT have been ill with severe mood disorders for many months, some even for years. Typically, they have tried several antidepressant medications alone and in combination with mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antianxiety medications. By the time they are referred for ECT, many patients are desperate to get well and to do so quickly. For such patients, the predictably fast response to ECT is a godsend.
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