Safety of electroconvulsive therapy in patients with unrepaired abdominal aortic aneurysm: report of 8 patients.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with unrepaired abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) may have depression and other psychiatric disorders for which electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be recommended. It is unclear whether ECT, which transiently, yet markedly, increases blood pressure and heart rate, can be safely performed in patients with AAA. We investigated the safety of ECT in patients with unrepaired AAA.


METHODS
A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of all patients with unrepaired AAA who underwent ECT for severe depressive syndromes at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn, between January 1, 1995, and June 30, 2007.


RESULTS
Eight patients (5 men and 3 women) with unrepaired AAA who underwent ECT were identified. Median age was 78.5 years (range, 67-83 years). All patients had AAA (median diameter, 3.95 cm [range, 3.0-5.2 cm]). The median number of treatments was 8.5 (range, 4-48). None of the patients died during the periprocedural period or experienced symptoms or signs suggestive of AAA expansion or rupture. Follow-up imaging data were available for 6 patients whose median post-ECT AAA diameter was 4.65 cm (range, 3.3-5.3 cm). Expansion of AAA ranged from 0.1 cm (for 11 and 13 months in 2 patients) to 1.0 cm (for 29 months in 1 patient), which is less than the expected mean expansion rates for AAAs of these diameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Electroconvulsive therapy was safe for 8 patients with unrepaired AAA treated at our institution. Our findings may be informative to clinicians who manage the care of patients with unrepaired AAA who are undergoing ECT.
Mueller
Paul S
PS
Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. mueller.pauls@mayo.edu
Albin
Scott M
SM
Barnes
Roxann D
RD
Rasmussen
Keith G
KG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000758:Anesthesia; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents