| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2017 | Volume
: 4
| Issue : 2 | Page : 115-122 |
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Electroconvulsive therapy in geriatric patients: A literature review and program report from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Andrew D Snyder, Vasu Venkatachalam, Ananda K Pandurangi
Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
Correspondence Address:
Ananda K Pandurangi
Department of Psychiatry, 1200 East Broad Street, P. O. Box: 980710, Richmond, VA 23298
USA
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/jgmh.jgmh_9_17
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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective therapeutic intervention in the elderly patients with major depression, especially those with psychosis, suicidality, catatonia, nutritional compromise, and resistance to medications. Response rates can be as high as 80%. We present an extensive review of the relevant literature, provide a description of the ECT program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, USA, and present results of our experience with ECT in fifty elderly patients. The treatments were safe, well tolerated, and produced high response rates, variably between 68% and 84%. Patients in the long-term maintenance ECT program continue to show sustained benefits from ECT.
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