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Electroconvulsive therapy: an effective therapy of medication‐resistant bipolar disorder
Author(s) -
Sienaert Pascal,
Peuskens Joseph
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
bipolar disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.285
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1399-5618
pISSN - 1398-5647
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2006.00317.x
Subject(s) - electroconvulsive therapy , bipolar disorder , refractory (planetary science) , medicine , major depressive disorder , psychiatry , lithium (medication) , pediatrics , psychology , cognition , physics , astrobiology
Objectives: We report our experience with a medication‐refractory patient with bipolar I disorder, who remained clinically stable under continuation electroconvulsive therapy (C‐ECT). We found ECT to be effective in providing functionality for a patient when various medications had failed. Methods and results: A 53‐year‐old woman with a 31‐year history of recurrent manic and depressive episodes poorly responsive to medications warranted an ECT trial. Remission was achieved after 12 treatments and C‐ECT at weekly intervals was used as maintenance therapy. C‐ECT was continued for 37 months and 85 treatments, and discontinued when anesthetic difficulties precluded further treatment. Three months after the last ECT, she was readmitted in a severe manic relapse. Restarting ECT caused rapid remission. There are no signs of cognitive deterioration during C‐ECT. Conclusion: Long‐term C‐ECT is an effective and safe prophylactic treatment in individual treatment‐resistant patients with bipolar disorder.