ECT

Question 1

Defintion

Answer 1

Treatment option for patients with severe depression refractory to medicine (e.g. Catalonia) those with psychotic symptoms.

Question 2

When is ECT implicated?

Answer 2

• Treatment resistant depression
• Severe major depression that impairs activities of daily living
• Suicidality
• Severe psychosis
• Food refusal secondary to depression
• Catatonia

Question 3

Short term side effects

Answer 3

• headache
• nausea
• short term memory impairment
• memory loss of events prior to ECT
• cardiac arrhythmia

Question 4

Long term side effects

Answer 4

Report impaired memory

Question 5

Contraindications

Answer 5

Raised intracranial pressure