Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a physical treatment used for a range of mental illnesses.
ECT was introduced in 1938 and has since undergone dramatic changes so that modern ECT
no longer resembles the early treatment often portrayed in the media. Historically, ECT was
given without anaesthesia and for conditions that would not be suitable for ECT treatment
today. Modern ECT treatment involves stimulating the brain, using a carefully controlled
current to induce a seizure while the patient is unconscious, under a short acting general
anaesthetic and muscle relaxant.

What this fact sheet covers:

• What is ECT?
• When is ECT used?
• What are the side effects of ECT?
• How is ECT done?
• Giving consent to have ECT
• Where to get more information

What are the side effects of ECT? relapse in depressive symptoms after an effective
acute ECT course.
ECT is generally a very safe treatment. Before
commencing a course of ECT, patients will
undergo a thorough psychiatric evaluation and ECT is often prescribed as a treatment
general health screening process. This may for depression when other treatments
include having blood tests, a chest X ray and an (antidepressant medication and psychological
electrocardiogram (ECG). Overall the medical therapy) have failed to produce an improvement
complication rate with ECT is very low and is in symptoms, when patients have experienced
comparable to other minor medical procedures serious side effects from medications, or are
involving anaesthesia (2.0-2.5 deaths per unable to safely take particular medications due
100,000). to a medical condition. Due to the fast acting
antidepressant effects of ECT it may also be
prescribed when the risk of suicide is high or
when a patient is too unwell to eat, drink or take
When is ECT used? medications. ECT is also used in the treatment
ECT has been shown to be the most effective of acute mania, catatonia and schizophrenia.
antidepressant treatment available for However, the National Institute for Health
severe depression, with a response rate of and Care Excellence advises that ECT should
over 70%. However, further treatment either not be used for the general management of
through continued ECT or antidepressant schizophrenia.
pharmacotherapy is beneficial in the prevention

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 A brief period of confusion following ECT is consciousness and are taken to the recovery
relatively common. Some people may experience area where a nurse will monitor heart rate, blood
a headache or nausea and these side effects can pressure, etc. until the patient is fully awake. The
be treated with medication if necessary. Muscle whole process takes around half an hour, and the
soreness or aching can also occur after ECT as a patient may feel groggy for a while due to the
result of the medications given to relax muscles seizure and the anaesthetic .
during ECT. These effects are transient, usually
lasting only a few hours after the ECT.
Giving consent to ECT
ECT can cause temporary memory loss . As with any other significant medical procedure,
Specifically, some patients experience difficulties before the ECT can be done, patients will be
lying down new memories during the course of asked to give consent or permission for it to go
ECT and may be unable to remember events ahead. Consent needs to be ‘informed’ – that is,
which occurred during this period. Evidence from the reasons for doing it, and the possible risks
research suggests that if memory and thinking are and benefits should be explained fully in a way
affected by ECT, the period of memory problems that is understood. Patients have the right to ask
is relatively brief and test scores have usually questions regarding the procedure, and to discuss
returned to pre-ECT levels one month after their views with their psychiatrist. After this is
treatment. done, patients are asked to sign a consent form
that states that ECT has been explained to them,
that they understand what is going to happen,
Sometimes occasional memories from the past and that they consent to it. Patients can, however,
may be forgotten. It is also important to note that withdraw their consent at any point if they wish –
many patients suffering from depression already even before the first treatment .
have problems with attention, concentration,
thinking and memory prior to commencing ECT.
It is not uncommon for patients to report that There may be cases sometimes where people are
their memory is better following ECT. The safety too unwell to make a decision about having ECT.
of ECT has also been examined with detailed For example, they may be so severely withdrawn
brain scans done before and after ECT. There is no or have ideas about themselves that stop them
evidence that ECT causes brain damage. taking on board all the issues surrounding
ECT (e.g. they may wrongly believe that their
depression is a punishment they deserve for
How is ECT done? something they have done). If this happens, it
ECT is usually performed in an operating suite, so may be impossible for them to give informed
that there is easy access to specialist anaesthetic consent. In this case, ECT can still be given
services. The anaesthetist and ECT nurses under the Mental Health Act – this is a strictly
will connect monitoring equipment to check controlled process regulated by law, with input
a patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen from independent clinical and legal experts, and
levels, and brain waves. The anaesthetist will then takes into account the view of the patient and
insert a small needle into a vein in the hand, to their family.
provide anaesthetic. While going off to sleep, the
anaesthetist will also provide oxygen to breathe. Contact Us
Email: [email protected]
Once fully asleep and relaxed, a doctor will Phone: (02) 9382 4530
give the ECT stimulus (which usually lasts
about five seconds). This will induce a seizure
that lasts about a minute, with minimal muscle
movement. After this, patients gradually regain

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 Bibliography
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Clinical Guidelines, Guidance on the use of
electroconvulsive therapy. Available from: https://
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta59
6. The Royal Australia & New Zealand College
of Psychiatrists. (2013) Position Statement 74:
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