The relationship of concurrent benzodiazepine administration to seizure duration in ECT

Standish-Barry, H. H. A. S.; Deacon, V.; Snaith, R. P.

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1985.tb01283.x

Cited by 39 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Although earlier studies suggested that this combination reduced the number of ECT treatments, this has not been confirmed by others [25,37]. Our results also confirm earlier reports that benzodiazepines affect seizure threshold [26,28] and duration. Patients taking benzodiazepines had seizures that were on average 4.6 seconds shorter than those not taking them.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

A Survey of ECT in a General Hospital Psychiatry Unit

Gassy

Rey

1990

Aust N Z J Psychiatry

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A review of the 2,256 admissions to a general hospital psychiatry unit between April 1982 and December 1987 showed that 129 (6%) had been treated with electro-convulsive therapy (ECT); 91% of these had a diagnosis of mood disorder. Most patients were taking concurrent psychotropic medication and received an average of 9 treatments per course of ECT. Men and patients taking benzodiazepines had shorter convulsions. However, there were no differences in seizure length and number of treatments between younger and older patients and between those taking and not taking tricyclic antidepressants.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

A Survey of ECT in a General Hospital Psychiatry Unit

Gassy

Rey

1990

Aust N Z J Psychiatry

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“…Second, sex and medication influence ST, but they are less potent than age . Benzodiazepines have been found to cause a shorter seizure duration in several studies . Pettinati et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seizure threshold and the half‐age method in bilateral electroconvulsive therapy inJapanese patients

Yasuda

Kobayashi

Yamaguchi

et al. 2014

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci

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Aim: Seizure threshold (ST) in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has not been reported previously in Japanese patients. We investigated ST in bilateral ECT in Japanese patients using the dose-titration method. The associations between demographic and clinical characteristics and ST were analyzed to identify the predictors of ST. Finally, the validity of the half-age method for the stimulus dose was evaluated.Methods: Fifty-four Japanese patients with mood disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders received an acute course of bilateral ECT using a brief-pulse device. ST was determined at the first session using a fixed titration schedule. ST was correlated with age, sex, body mass index, history of previous ECT, and psychotropic drugs on multiple regression analysis. Furthermore, the rate of accomplished seizures was calculated using the half-age method.Results: Mean ST was 136 mC. ST was influenced by age, sex, history of previous ECT, and medication with benzodiazepines. The accomplished seizure rate using the half-age method was 72%, which was significantly lower in men and subjects on benzodiazepines. Conclusion:ST in Japanese patients was equal to or slightly higher than that previously reported in other ethnic groups, which might be attributable, at least in part, to high prevalence of and large-dose benzodiazepine prescription. Higher age, male gender, no history of ECT, and benzodiazepines were related to higher ST. The half-age method was especially useful in female patients and subjects without benzodiazepine medication.

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“…The anticonvulsant effect of ECT may therefore account for a shortening of fit length in the benzodiazepine group. Similar methodological problems may account for Standish-Barry, Deacon and Snaith's (1985) finding, that seizure length during the third and fourth ECT treatment for patients on benzodiazepines was shortened when compared with seizure length during the first and second treatment when not on benzodiazepines. Gassy and Rey (1990) suggest that women tend to have lower seizure thresholds and significantly longer seizure lengths than men.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…The effect of psychotropic drugs on seizure duration is of particular interest as these drugs can be altered by the attending physician. A number of studies report that benzodiazepines cause a reduction in fit length and consequently interfere with the therapeutic effects of ECT (Stromgren et al, 1980;d'Elia, 1982;Standish-Barry, Deacon and Snaith, 1985;Cohen and Lawton, 1992). Carbamazepine, sodium valproate and to a lesser extent clonazepam are commonly used as mood stabilizers in patients with severe affective disorders or in those patients where other treatments have proven difficult.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The effect of psychotropic medication on seizure duration during bilateral electroconvulsive therapy: a retrospective study

et al. 1996

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A five-year retrospective study investigating the effects of psychotropic medication on first seizure length was undertaken on 109 patients who received 131 courses of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Bilateral ECT was administered under methohexitone anaesthesia. Induction of a seizure was successful in 105 patients. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that except for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) seizure length was not affected by psychotropic medication, SSRIs were associated with prolonged seizure length (p=0.0012). Less than one-third of the subjects had drugs with anticonvulsant properties omitted before treatment. Drugs with anticonvulsant properties did not shorten seizure length. Though this study suggests that SSRIs may prolong fit length, further clarification of the predictors for seizure duration is required.

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The relationship of concurrent benzodiazepine administration to seizure duration in ECT

Cited by 39 publications

References 10 publications

A Survey of ECT in a General Hospital Psychiatry Unit

A Survey of ECT in a General Hospital Psychiatry Unit

Seizure threshold and the half‐age method in bilateral electroconvulsive therapy inJapanese patients

The effect of psychotropic medication on seizure duration during bilateral electroconvulsive therapy: a retrospective study

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