The safety of ECT in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
BACKGROUND
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) involves the administration of general anesthesia and assisted ventilation while the patient is apneic.


OBJECTIVE
Care must be taken to screen for significant pulmonary dysfunction before treatment. Very little has been written about the safety and management strategy of ECT patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
In this retrospective chart review, authors describe their experience with patients in recent years who had this disorder and were treated with ECT.


RESULTS
Authors list recommendations for the pre-ECT work up and anesthetic management during and after the treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Recent guidelines recommend administration of patients' prescribed inhalers on the morning of ECT treatment. Also, caution is recommended when using ECT in patients taking theophylline because this drug has been associated with prolonged seizures and status epilepticus in these patients.
Schak
Kathryn M
KM
Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Mueller
Paul S
PS
Barnes
Roxann D
RD
Rasmussen
Keith G
KG
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013806:Theophylline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D013806:Theophylline