What are the most common side effects of electroconvulsive therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment that can cause a number of different side effects. Many patients report a certain degree of temporary memory loss and others suffer from headaches or confusion after completion of treatment. Some patients may develop more serious side effects, including bone fractures or pneumonia. Although ECT is generally considered to be a relatively safe procedure, patients with heart diseases and basic neurological conditions should be fully evaluated before administering this treatment because they are at increased risk of developing serious side effects.
One of the most common side effects of electroconvulsive therapy reported patients is memory loss. One type of memory is called retrograde amnesia, and these patients have difficulty remembering the events that occurred in a certain time in the past. Other patients report problems that remember the things that take place after treatment, a problem called anterograde amnesia. Usually the memory is not a weightThe Žná and Patients are able to remember important details about themselves and their lives and lose only memories of events or facts that did not include them on a personal level. Patients usually regain the ability to fully remember events in weeks to months after therapy. Many patients report that after completion of therapy has a slight headache. Other patients seem to be confused or disoriented for several hours to the procedure.
Some other minor side effects of electroconvulsive therapy may affect patients for a short time after treatment. Feeling naughty and even vomiting is a common adverse effect. If patients are not fully protected by dental bite, they could bite the tongue of the electrolectroconvulsive therapy during T, resulting in pain and irritation after the procedure.
Other side effects of electroconvulsive therapy are rare but mohou be serious. Patients with osteoporosis who are not sufficiently secured during the procedure could break the bones from the administration of shocks. Patients can occasionally aspire to the stomach content as a result of a change in the level of consciousness during the procedure. This could lead to pneumonia, lung infection.
Some patients are not good ECT candidates due to increased risk of side effects of electroconvulsive therapy. Patients with heart disease, including severe heart valve problems, known coronary arteries and significant heart failure, are exposed to an increased risk of heart attack during the procedure, so electroconvulsant therapy is usually not recommended for these patients. If the patient has a well -known neurological condition such as a brain tumor or a recent stroke, before undergoing ECT should be evaluated by a specialist to avoid complications.