{"id":7635,"date":"2020-09-29T15:03:38","date_gmt":"2020-09-29T19:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/psych\/?page_id=7635"},"modified":"2026-02-18T16:26:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:26:09","slug":"ect","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/psych\/specialty-care\/interventional-psychiatry\/ect\/","title":{"rendered":"Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Service"},"content":{"rendered":"
When might ECT be appropriate? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

ECT is indicated for patients with symptoms of depression, mania, psychosis, or catatonia who have failed to benefit from previous medication trials. It may also be used for patients who require rapid improvement in symptoms because of the severity of their condition, such as acute suicidality.<\/p>\n

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What is a typical course of ECT? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

ECT is performed at UNC Hospital and can be scheduled as an inpatient or outpatient. The initial treatment course, or index series, involves ECT scheduled two or three times weekly. This will continue for roughly 3-5 weeks or until the maximal therapeutic benefit is seen.<\/p>\n

Following completion of the index series, the team may recommend continuing ECT treatments on a reduced frequency. The purpose of this is to help lower the risk that depression or other symptoms will recur. This continuation phase tends to start at once a week and progressively spaces to longer and longer intervals between treatments. How long this continuation phase would go on for depends on individual factors, such as symptom severity prior to treatment and history of previous relapses.<\/p>\n

Due to the requirement for anesthesia, patients are restricted on eating and drinking prior to treatment. Patients are required to have transportation and refrain from driving until the next day after ECT.<\/p>\n

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Is ECT safe? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

The risk of general anesthesia, which is needed for ECT, is similar to the risk of anesthesia with other minor procedures. Patients\u2019 heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory status are monitored constantly throughout the treatment. Medical complications such as heart attack, stroke, or death from treatment are extremely rare.<\/p>\n

In addition to the anesthetic, patients are given medication that relaxes the muscles to prevent movement and injury during the seizure.<\/p>\n

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What are the benefits and risks of ECT? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

ECT is one of the most effective treatments for severe depression, with approximately 80% of patients seeing significant improvement in their symptoms. It may be effective in the treatment of depression, mania, catatonia or psychosis that has been refractory to past medications. While not all, many patients experience improvement within the first two weeks of treatment.<\/p>\n

There are possible side effects, including muscle aches, headaches, and nausea or vomiting on the days of treatment. These may be treated with as-needed medication given during or after treatment.<\/p>\n

Patients receiving ECT may experience temporary memory loss and difficulty with learning new information. There may be difficulty remembering events that occurred in the weeks or months prior to treatment. In most cases, memory problems improved after completion of the index series. However, some patients experience longer lasting problems, including permanent gaps in memory.<\/p>\n

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GLOSSARY<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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