Electroconvulsive therapy could be causing a wider range of adverse effects when used to treat depression than previously understood, according to a paper that calls for the practice to be suspended pending more robust research.
Although short- and long-term memory loss is widely known to result from ECT, the research identified 25 further concerning side effects, which included cardiovascular problems, fatigue and emotional blunting.
ECT involves passing electricity through the brain while under general anaesthesia to cause seizures, usually over a course of six to 12 treatments. It is administered to about 2,500 people in the UK annually, primarily for treatment-resistant depression, as well as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and catatonia.
The research, published in the International Journal of Mental Health, draws on a survey of 747 ECT patients and 201 relatives and friends, which means it is not conclusive but could give an indication of possible other side effect
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