Electroconvulsive Treatment - Pitfalls of Administration inExtreme Age Groups

Overview

In the submitted review the authors discuss the application of electroconvulsive therapy inchildren and geriatric patients. With the development of new more sparing ECT techniques(second generation of apparatuses for electroconvulsive therapy, modification of preparationand anaesthesia, monitoring of the patient) the risk of this method was reduced and thepossibilities to apply it also in these age groups was extended. In both groups the sameindications and contraindications apply as for the standard population. In old patients duringECT a higher efficiency was proved, a more rapid onset of the therapeutic effect, better toleranceand higher safety than in patients treated with psychopharmaceutical preparations. Thehighest efficiency was described in affective disorders (maximum in delusive depression anddepressive pseudodementia). In children and adolescents the results of ECT are similar as inthe adult population and a higher incidence of undesirable effects was not recorded. Despitethis the application of ECT in children is exceptional (pharmacoresistent conditions, applicationfor vital reasons).

Key words:
electroconvulsive therapy - efficiency - safety of treatment - depression - mania -schizophrenia - cognitive functions.