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1/ Just published ECT case study from a Louisiana hospital: Catatonic patient received 2 ECT sessions, which were then cancelled bc of the pandemic.
Patient lapsed back into catatonia.
Instead of ECT, doctors treated patient with antipsychotics . . . https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/33/6/e100271
Patient lapsed back into catatonia.
Instead of ECT, doctors treated patient with antipsychotics . . . https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/33/6/e100271
2/ The patient recovered from the catatonia on the antipsychotics and ativan - no ECT was necessary this time.
Here's what's interesting:
Rather than conclude that this showed that catatonia can resolve without shock treatment, the doctors concluded something else . . .
Here's what's interesting:
Rather than conclude that this showed that catatonia can resolve without shock treatment, the doctors concluded something else . . .
3/ The doctors concluded that hospitals must take extra precaution to ensure patients get ECT during the pandemic:
"Anaesthesiologists will need to be flexible while working with psychiatrists and identify safe ways to provide this necessary psychiatric treatment for patients."
"Anaesthesiologists will need to be flexible while working with psychiatrists and identify safe ways to provide this necessary psychiatric treatment for patients."
4/ Considering the widely reported long-term side effects of ECT (memory loss & cognitive impairment) - which seem to develop faster & resolve less often than side effects associated with medications - shouldn't the conclusion be that ECT may not be necessary to treat catatonia?
5/ Two other notes: The patient was a trauma survivor. And there's no mention that doctors tried any other treatments besides ECT and drugs.
