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Chapter 25 - Interactions between ECT and Prescribed Medication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2019

By
Ian M Anderson
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

It is common, indeed usual in many countries including the UK, for patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to continue taking medication for their psychiatric disorder, and in many cases they are also being treated for one or more physical illnesses. This chapter reviews the evidence for interactions between concomitantly taken drugs and ECT, concentrating on safety issues and their management, but also commenting on therapeutic interactions where relevant. Outside the scope of this chapter are drugs specifically given as part of ECT, or administered during the session to modify seizures, reduce the likelihood of adverse effects or affect clinical outcomes.

Type
Chapter
Information
The ECT Handbook , pp. 218 - 233
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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