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The treatment of stupor associated with MRI evidence of cerebrovascular disease
Author(s) -
Spear Jon,
Ranger Maya,
Herzberg Joe
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199708)12:8<791::aid-gps606>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - stupor , medicine , disease , psychiatry , psychology , intensive care medicine , encephalopathy
Objective . To describe the treatment and outcome of organic stupor associated with MRI evidence of cerebrovascular disease. Design . A case series of three patients. Setting . An urban mental health of the elderly service in southeast London. Patients . Aged 69 years, 72 years and 78 years. Two had organic catatonic disorder and the third organic depressive disorder. Interventions . Diazepam, carbamazepine, antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Main outcome measures . Resolution of symptoms and discharge from hospital. Results . Symptoms resolved between 1 and 10 days. All patients were able to return home but relapsed over the following 12 months. One relapse occurred when a patient stopped diazepam and moclobemide. Conclusions . It is proposed that the initial treatment of organic stupor associated with cerebrovascular disease should include a benzodiazepine or carbamazepine. If patients fail to respond then ECT should be considered. The safety of ECT is not known, when treating patients with depressive disorder associated with cerebrovascular disease. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.