J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1992; 4:140-144
Copyright © 1992 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
Electroconvulsive therapy for post-stroke depressed geriatric patients
MB Currier, GB Murray and CC Welch
Psychiatric Consultation Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for 20 medically ill
geriatric patients who received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for
post-stroke depression from January 1982 to January 1991 at Massachusetts
General Hospital. Of the 19 patients (95%) who improved with ECT, 7
patients (37%) suffered relapses despite maintenance anti- depressant
medications. Relapses typically developed approximately 4 months after ECT.
Five patients (23%) developed ECT-related medical complications. Three
patients (15%) developed transient interictal confusion or amnesia. No
patient experienced an exacerbation of preexisting neurologic deficits.
These findings indicate that ECT is a generally well tolerated and
effective treatment for depressed, medically ill post-stroke geriatric
patients.
