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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough ECT is generally safe, there are known risks and side effects. These include:
- Confusion. Immediately after an ECT treatment, you may experience a period of confusion. You may not know where you are or why you're there. This confusion may last from a few minutes to several hours. You may be able to return to work and normal activities right away; or, you may need to rest for several hours after treatment. Rarely, confusion may last several days or longer. Confusion is generally more noticeable in older adults.
- Memory loss. ECT can affect memory in several ways. You may have trouble remembering events that occurred before treatment began, a condition known as retrograde amnesia. It may be hard to remember things in the weeks or months leading up to treatment, although some people do have problems with memories from years previous, as well. You may also have trouble recalling events that occurred during the weeks of your treatment. And some people have trouble with memory of events that occur even after ECT has stopped. These memory problems usually improve within a couple of months.
- Physical side effects. On the days you have an ECT treatment, you may experience nausea, vomiting, headache, jaw pain, muscle ache or muscle spasms. These are common and generally can be treated with medications.
- Medical complications. As with any type of medical procedure, especially one in which anesthesia is used, there are risks of medical complications. During ECT, heart rate and blood pressure increase, and in rare cases, that can lead to serious heart problems. If you have heart problems, ECT may be more risky.
References
- Baghai TC, et al. Electroconvulsive therapy and its different indications. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2008;10:105.
- George MS, et al. Nompharmacological somatic treatments. In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=338950. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Payne N, et al. Electroconvulsive therapy: Part I. A perspective on the evolution and current practice of ECT. Journal of Psychiatric Practice. 2009;15:346.
- Fact sheet: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/treatment/electroconvulsive-therapy-ect. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Depression: Electroconvulsive therapy. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/treatment/058.html. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Doughrerty DD, et al. Somatic therapies for treatment-resistant depression: New neurotherapeutic interventions. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2007;30:31.
- Lisanby SH. Electroconvulsive therapy for depression. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;298:330.
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