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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for some forms of mental illness. Resulting in a positive therapeutic change to brain function, ECT utilizes a mild electric current to stimulate a brief seizure in a highly controlled setting. Though research is still ongoing to understand the specific mechanism of action for ECT, psychiatrists can use this safe method for efficient and effective treatment.
If you are interested in learning more about ECT services, please call our care team at 914.997.4323.
ECT can quickly treat several psychiatric conditions, especially when patients experience severe symptoms or are unresponsive to trials of multiple medications. ECT also typically works faster than psychiatric medications.
80% of patients with treatment-resistant depression whose symptoms have not responded to trials of two or three different medications experience symptom relief with ECT. These results are similar for patients with treatment-resistant mania, catatonia or schizophrenia.
As with many medical procedures and treatments, patients undergoing ECT may experience some side effects following the procedure.
Immediately after treatment, patients may experience confusion that will resolve within several minutes to hours. Some patients may experience headache, nausea, jaw pain or muscle aches, for which we recommend treating with over-the-counter medications.
Occasionally, patients may have trouble remembering events from the days and weeks before the treatment or events that occur during the acute phase of the treatment. These symptoms often resolve within a few months following treatment.
Like any medical treatment, ECT can have some risk. Since ECT is performed under general anesthesia, patients may carry the risk of increased heart rate or blood pressure, which in rare cases can lead to heart problems. When determining if ECT is the right treatment method for you, your physician will evaluate your health for any heart or blood pressure risk.
Our ultimate goal is patient wellbeing and safety. Our providers strive to reduce the risks of ECT as much as possible while understanding that the risks of severe, untreated depression are often greater than the risk of ECT.
ECT is most useful for patients suffering from conditions such as severe depression, severe mania, catatonia and schizophrenia. ECT is particularly useful when other treatment methods, such as medications or psychotherapy, are deemed to be ineffective or result in intolerable side effects.
Your doctor will share with you how to prepare for treatment, including guidelines on whether to take your current medications the day prior to or in the morning before treatment. You should not eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of the procedure except small sips of water with any medications necessary to be taken before the ECT procedure.
On the treatment day, we suggest wearing loose-fitting, comfortable clothing. Once in the procedure room, you will be introduced to your treatment team, including a psychiatrist, ECT nurse and an anesthesiologist. Here you will have the opportunity to ask any questions.
Once you are ready to begin, you should expect the following:
You will be asleep for the procedure for about 5 minutes total. After the treatment, you will slowly wake up and be moved to the recovery area.
The entire process from check-in through recovery lasts about 75 minutes.
ECT is usually covered by insurance. If you are interested in ECT, our program liaison will assist you in determining if your insurance covers the procedure.
We work carefully with your outpatient psychiatrist during and after your treatment. Some patients will be able to take fewer medications. As some medications prolong the good effect of ECT, we may recommend to your psychiatrist to change or add to your medication regimen.
Some patients require or request maintenance ECT, or a set of treatments that occur on a reduced schedule to keep the good effects of ECT lasting as long as possible. The ECT team will discuss the options with you as your symptoms improve.
ECT is available at NewYork-Presbyterian/Westchester Behavioral Health and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. We treat both inpatients and outpatients.
If you are interested in learning more about ECT services, please call our care team at 914.997.4323.
