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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| The safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy in patients over age 75 | | Author(s) | Niall Gormley, Con Cullen, Liam Walters |
| Journal title | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol 13, no 12, December 1998 |
| Pages | pp 871-874 |
| Keywords | Over 70s ; Psychiatric treatment ; Psychiatric units ; London ; Ireland. |
| Annotation | Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is well established as an effective treatment of severe depression in older people. Of major concern in clinical practice is the relative safety of ECT, particularly for patients aged over 75, where reported complications have included confusion, falls and cardio-respiratory problems. This study examined case notes of patients receiving ECT between 1995 and 1997 at three psychiatric hospitals: St Patrick's and St James's Hospitals, Dublin; and the Maudsley Hospital, London. 93 ECT courses were administered during the study period. Ten patients (10.8%) suffered complications following ECT. The most common adverse effects were prolonged confusion and hypomania, all of which resolved within 2 weeks of the cessation of the treatment. 85% of patients made a marked or moderate response to treatment. Careful assessment of a patient's physical health prior to ECT and the monitoring of cognitive functioning and physical state during the course of treatment should enable identification of those prone to complications. Otherwise, the results of the study support the continued use of ECT treatment of severe depressive illnesses in "older-old" patients. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-990209013 A |
| Classmark | BBK: LP: LDL: 82L: 763 |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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