Etomidate and unpredicted seizures during electroconvulsive therapy.
Electroconvulsive therapy has been a novel treatment for about half a century, effective for severe psychiatric conditions. Over the years, the treatment has been refined with the addition of anesthesia. Different inducing agents have been used in clinical practice over the last few decades including propofol, methohexital, and etomidate. Previous literature rarely mentions seizures soon after induction with etomidate and typically only in anesthesia literature. We describe 2 cases with different demographics, diagnosis, and treatment that had seizures with the use of etomidate as an inducing agent.
Griffeth
Benjamin T
BT
ER Psychiatry, Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salem, VA 24153, USA. benjamin.griffeth@va.gov
Mehra
Abhishek
A
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005045:Etomidate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D044465:White People