The Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression

Abstract

The ECT is still highly effective in severely treatment-resistant patients with major depressive disorder, with more than half of such patients achieving remission.

Influence of Age on Effectiveness and Tolerability of Electroconvulsive Therapy

“…This indicates a possible general sex effect or may be the result of fewer antidepressant drug trials in women before being referred to ECT as reported by Bloch and colleagues 33 that may result in better treatment response. 34 The number of concomitant psychotropic medications and the degree of treatment resistance to various pharmacological treatments showed no significant variation over age. Our patients can in fact be considered as a population experiencing extremely high pharmacotherapy-resistant illness, 35 having failed in up to 20 different treatment trials, including augmentation and combination strategies before ECT.…”

Electroconvulsive Therapy: The Struggles in the Decision-Making Process and the Aftermath of Treatment

“…the treatment of choice for patients whose symptoms fail to remit with the use of psychopharmacology, who have depression with severe psychosis, who are experiencing an unrelenting lethal suicidal threat, or who have a medical condition that prohibits the use of psychotropic medication (Khalid et al 2008). Patients with schizophrenia, mania, delusions, catatonia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and Parkinsonism also have had positive responses to ECT (Greenberg & Kellner, 2005;Tharyan & Adams, 2005).…”

Arterial baroreflex dysfunction in major depressive disorder

“…Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective anti-depressive therapy that is most commonly reserved for severe treatment resistant depression [10]. No previous study has assessed baroreflex function among patients undergoing electro-convulsive therapy in adjunct to medical therapy for major depressive disorder.…”