Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on cardiac function in patients without heart disease.
In order to determine whether electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) alters left-ventricular function in patients without heart disease, we studied 11 patients who had a normal cardiovascular system and were submitted to ECT. Left-ventricular function was assessed by means of a clinical examination and an echocardiographic evaluation performed before the ECT and 20 min and 6 h after ECT. Twenty minutes after ECT, the patients' end-systolic volume was increased (p = 0.003), whereas the ejection fraction (p = 0.004) and E to A ratio were decreased (p = 0.004 and 0.028, respectively). These indexes returned to the normal control value 6 h later. None of our patients presented any clinical signs of heart failure. We conclude that in some patients, ECT produces a significant and transient decrease in left-ventricular systolic and diastolic function.
Fuenmayor
A J
AJ
Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias Section, University of the Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
el Fakih
Y
Y
Moreno
J
J
Fuenmayor
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003971:Diastole; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013599:Systole; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*