title: Obstruction of ECT seizure by submaximal hyperventilation: a case report.
abstract: Extreme obstruction of ECT seizure induction occurred in an elderly female with a low cardiac ejection fraction after a 20 to 25 s interval between the last ventilation and the electrical stimulus. Stimuli of 378 and 504 mC induced no motoric or EEG activity after an initial stimulus of 227 mC produced just 1 s of motoric seizure activity. After prolonged hyperventilation and immediate stimulation a seizure resulted with 33 s of motoric activity. This case suggests that patients with a low cardiac output might be particularly sensitive to the quality of ventilation.
authors: Department of Psychiatric Medicine, East Carolina University, School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27858-4354, USA.
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: Swartz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000150:complications*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods