How is ECT administered today compared to years ago? Under what conditions is it often used? Is it effective?

What will be an ideal response?


ECT procedures conducted years ago led to several debilitating side effects, such as bone fractures and long-term memory deficits. Today, ECT uses fewer volts of electricity, stimulation is delivered in brief pulses rather than continuously, patients are anesthetized and given a muscle relaxant to avoid any bone fractures, and the number of treatments needed has been reduced. 70-130 volts of electricity is applied to the head of the anesthetized patient, which produces a seizure and convulsions that last between 30 seconds and 1 minute. ECT is only used in extreme cases when patients are unresponsive to drug treatment, when the side effect of drug treatment is unsafe (especially among pregnant women), or when the patient is suicidal. ECT has led to symptom improvement in 79% of patients, compared to 54% of those in drug treatment, and it is just as effective as drug treatment. Its main disadvantage, however, is that the alleviating effects are short term.

Psychology

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Psychology

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Psychology