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Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Second Opinion
Note: The information on this
website is not a substitute for
diagnosis and treatment by a qualified, licensed professional.
*"New data has confirmed the probability of a significant death rate from ECT. A recent law in Texas requires the reporting of death within two weeks after ECT. From June, 1993, through August, 1994, eight deaths were reported among nearly 1,700 patients subjected to electroshock treatment.
Electroshock: scientific, ethical, and political issues. Peter R. Breggin. International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine 11 (1998) 5-40 IOS Press
* Over the course of the seven-year study, the risk of death doubled for patients receiving shock therapy. More than two-thirds of the shock patients had relapses and had to be readmitted during that time.
Seven year prognosis in depression. Mortality and readmission risk in the Nottingham ECT cohort. O'Leary DA, Lee AS. Br J Psychiatry 1996 Oct;169(4):423-9
* In California between 1984 and 1994, 28,437 patients received a total of 160,847 shock treatments. Three of the patients died. 821 patients, about 3% of the total, were judged incapable of giving informed consent after court review.
Use of ECT in California, revisited: 1984-1994. J ECT 1999 Dec;15(4):245-51. Kramer BA.
* A 57-year-old man suffered cardiovascular collapse, culminating in cardiac arrest with electromechanical dissociation following his eighth ECT treatment. Despite resuscitative measures, the patient died.
Cardiac rupture during electroconvulsive therapy. Ali PB, Tidmarsh MD. Anaesthesia 1997 Sep;52(9):884-6
* "In a large retrospective study of 3,288 patients getting ECT in Monroe County, NY, ECT recipients were found to have an increased death rate from all causes."
Appendix to John Breeding, Ph.D. Electroshock. Based on an article published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Winter 2000, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 65-79, citing Babigian, H., et al. Epidemiologic Considerations in ECT. Arch Gen Psych 1984;4:246-253.
* "Survival in 65 patients hospitalized and treated for depression was evaluated by researchers at Brown University. They reported that the 37 patients who received ECT had survival rates of 73.0% at one year, 54.1% at two years, and 51.4% at three years. In contrast, depressed patients who did not receive ECT had survival rates of 96.4%, 90.5% and 75.0% at 1,2 and 3 years respectively."
Appendix to John Breeding, Ph.D. Electroshock. Based on an article published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Winter 2000, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 65-79, citing Kroessler, D. and Fogel, B. Electroconvulsive Therapy for Major Depression in the Oldest Old. Am J Geriatr Psych 1993;1:1:30-37.
* The first three years of mandated recording of death within 14 days of ECT in the state of Texas yielded reports of 21 deaths. Eleven of these were cardiovascular, including massive heart attacks and strokes, three were respiratory, and six were suicides.
Appendix to John Breeding, Ph.D. Electroshock. Based on an article published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Winter 2000, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 65-79 citing Don Gilbert, Commissioner, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, 1996.
[The titles of the following studies are self explanatory]
Sudden death following electroconvulsive therapy. Weber DL, Ruvolo C, Cashin P. N Y State J Med. 1973 Apr 15;73(8):1000-1.
Death after E.C.T. Gomez J. Br Med J. 1974 Jul 6;2(922):45.
Fatal heart block and cardiac arrest following ECT. A case report. Malik MO. Br J Psychiatry. 1972 Jan;120(554):69-70.
Myocardial infarction and fatal coronary insufficiency during electroconvulsive therapy. Hussar AE, Pachter M. JAMA. 1968 Jun 10;204(11):1004-7.