Abstract
There is debate in the psychiatric community regarding how to optimize electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). American Psychiatric Association recommendations suggest a moderately suprathreshhold stimulus intensity, yet little information is available regarding how practitioners select initial ECT stimulus doses. We report the results of a nationwide study of common ECT practices. Respondents provided their most commonly used electrode placement, method of determining stimulus intensity, and type of ECT device. Our results showed a high degree of variability in ECT methods, and those practitioners 'specializing' in ECT were no more likely than nonspecialists to titrate stimulus intensity at the first treatment. Indeed, a fixed high-dose stimulus, stimulus titration, and stimulus intensity calculated by formula were each widely used by both ECT specialists and nonspecialists.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 90-94 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Convulsive Therapy |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1993 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Electroconvulsive therapy stimulus dosing : A survey of contemporary practices. / Farah, A.; McCall, William Vaughn.
In: Convulsive Therapy, Vol. 9, No. 2, 01.01.1993, p. 90-94.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Electroconvulsive therapy stimulus dosing
T2 - A survey of contemporary practices
AU - Farah, A.
AU - McCall, William Vaughn
PY - 1993/1/1
Y1 - 1993/1/1
N2 - There is debate in the psychiatric community regarding how to optimize electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). American Psychiatric Association recommendations suggest a moderately suprathreshhold stimulus intensity, yet little information is available regarding how practitioners select initial ECT stimulus doses. We report the results of a nationwide study of common ECT practices. Respondents provided their most commonly used electrode placement, method of determining stimulus intensity, and type of ECT device. Our results showed a high degree of variability in ECT methods, and those practitioners 'specializing' in ECT were no more likely than nonspecialists to titrate stimulus intensity at the first treatment. Indeed, a fixed high-dose stimulus, stimulus titration, and stimulus intensity calculated by formula were each widely used by both ECT specialists and nonspecialists.
AB - There is debate in the psychiatric community regarding how to optimize electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). American Psychiatric Association recommendations suggest a moderately suprathreshhold stimulus intensity, yet little information is available regarding how practitioners select initial ECT stimulus doses. We report the results of a nationwide study of common ECT practices. Respondents provided their most commonly used electrode placement, method of determining stimulus intensity, and type of ECT device. Our results showed a high degree of variability in ECT methods, and those practitioners 'specializing' in ECT were no more likely than nonspecialists to titrate stimulus intensity at the first treatment. Indeed, a fixed high-dose stimulus, stimulus titration, and stimulus intensity calculated by formula were each widely used by both ECT specialists and nonspecialists.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027175818&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
VL - 9
SP - 90
EP - 94
JO - Journal of ECT
JF - Journal of ECT
SN - 1095-0680
IS - 2
ER -