Safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy in patients over age 85.
The authors report that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be used safely and effectively in patients over age 85 with concurrent psychiatric and medical problems. Affective and psychotic illnesses are common and debilitating in geriatric patients. This same population has a high frequency of medical comorbidity, which makes it difficult for patients to tolerate adequate doses of standard pharmacotherapies to treat psychiatric problems. Also, many of these individuals are nonresponsive to psychopharmacologic therapies tried. Consequently, ECT becomes an important treatment option in elderly patients.
Tomac
T A
TA
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Rummans
T A
TA
Pileggi
T S
TS
Li
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome