Treatment of post-electroconvulsive therapy delirium and agitation with donepezil.
Delirium and agitation are commonly encountered after administration of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Management is generally fairly straightforward, although some patients may have a severe, prolonged, or refractory course. We recently cared for a 65-year-old man who consistently developed severe and very prolonged post-ECT delirium that did not respond to typical pharmacological agents; the duration of delirium was dramatically shortened by the addition of donepezil. Cholinesterase inhibitors may have a place in mitigating severe and prolonged post-ECT delirium.
Logan
Christopher J
CJ
University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa and Geropsychiatry Section, VA Medical Center, Bay Pines, FL 33744, USA.
Stewart
Jonathan T
JT
D000368:Aged; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D000077265:Donepezil; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil