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Chapter 6 - ECT in Older Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2019

By
Stuart Watson ,
Jane Newby  and
Phil Laws
Edited by
I. Nicol Ferrier  and
Jonathan Waite
I. Nicol Ferrier
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Jonathan Waite
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham
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Summary

ECT is used more often in the elderly than in younger adults and most often for depression which, in the elderly, is common and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality (Whiteford, et al., 2010). The high rates of treatment resistance (Whiteford, et al., 2010), the relative absence of evidence based guidelines and the risks associated with biological treatments, particularly in view of the high rates of physical co-morbidity, suggest that the decision to use ECT should be considered often, but carefully, and that its application should be thoughtful.

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The ECT Handbook , pp. 44 - 49
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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References

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