Citation

Rudisch B, McDonald WM. Current Psychosis and Therapeutics Reports 2006; 4(2): 79-83.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006)

DOI

10.1007/BF02629327

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Treatment refractory depression is a major concern for primary care and mental health specialists alike. This is particularly so in the elderly, who are most vulnerable to the effects of depression on physical and psychosocial functioning, as well as suicide. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for depression refractory to medication. Patients who are refractory to medication and subsequently respond to ECT are at high risk of relapse following ECT, and as such maintenance treatment has particular salience in the medication refractory population. The use of ECT as maintenance treatment will be reviewed in this article, with a particular focus on the use of this modality in elderly patients who are refractory to medications. Copyright © 2006 by Current Science Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

human; mental health; suicide; depression; treatment outcome; review; primary medical care; antidepressant agent; social psychology; practice guideline; electroconvulsive therapy; recurrence risk; maintenance therapy; treatment response