What is the most common side effect of ECT?
The risks of general anesthesia, which is needed for ECT, are similar to the risks when anesthesia is used for other procedures such as minor surgeries. The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours.
Does ECT damage the brain?
These conditions are not approached during ECT. Other findings indicate that the passage of electricity, thermal effects, and the transient disruption of the blood-brain barrier during ECS do not result in structural brain damage. Conclusions: There is no credible evidence that ECT causes structural brain damage.
What is the success rate for ECT?
What is the Success Rate of Electroconvulsive Therapy? ECT is an effective medical treatment option, helping as many as 80-85 percent of patients who receive it.
What does ECT do to the brain?
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 depression and schizophrenia.
What was ect originally used to treat?
Electroconvulsive therapy was born. In 1938, Cerletti and his psychiatrist colleague Lucio Bini developed the first ECT device and treated their first human patient, a diagnosed schizophrenic with delusions, hallucinations, and confusion.
Does ECT increase serotonin?
Altogether, our results showed that serum serotonin levels significantly increase following ECT in MDD patients.
What part of the brain is affected by ECT?
A great deal of research has been performed pertaining to the neuroplastic effect of ECT in patients with MDD. Moreover, significant modulations in volume of brain substructures such as hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus and medial and inferior temporal cortex have been reported with ECT.
How do you make sure that the seizure has occurred during ECT?
EEG-tracing during ECT is the golden standard for modern ECT with the use of muscle relaxants. EEG can be used to monitor the physiologic response of brain from the electrical stimulant and to show whether the seizure is adequate.
What is cuff method in ECT?
The duration of the seizure was monitored by the convulsive movements of the forearm to which a cuff had been applied, and inflated above the systolic blood pressure. The method was found to be simple and reliable. seizures during ECT [5].
What is the minimum seizure duration required for effectiveness of ECT?
Although most therapeutic ECT seizures last from 15 to 70 seconds, EEG recording lasts about 25 percent longer than the motor seizure. [23] Seizures lasting less than 15 seconds may not be clinically effective, while prolonged seizures may cause cognitive impairment.
What should I monitor after ECT?
Your patient requires monitoring for about 2 hours after ECT. Carry out these measures when he returns to the nursing unit after the procedure: Immediately check his airway, breathing, and circulation. Document his mental status and vital signs and repeat these assessments every 30 minutes.