What is ECT Full Form?
ECT stands for Electroconvulsive Therapy. It is a medical therapy that is incorporated to treat mental disorders using electric current. Through this therapy, electric current is utilized for producing brief convulsions in patients. Because of the involvement of electric current, it is also called shock treatment. First used in 1938, ECT is typically used in the treatment of severe depression, manic depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. ECT therapy is also recommended for people having symptoms like delusions, hallucinations or when other treatments and medicines fail to respond.
ECT Full Form in Medical
ECT meaning in medicine is Electroconvulsive Therapy. In ECT, before sending out the electrical current, the patient is put in a sleepy state using anaesthesia and medicines in order to relax the muscles. The electrodes are then placed on the skull that can last up to eight seconds.
It yields a brief seizure within the brain. Instantly after the therapy, the patient may temporarily experience headache, nausea, Short term memory loss, and jaw pain etc. The frequency of this treatment may differ from individual to individual, counting on the characteristic of illness and an improvement after each session. On average, patients undergo six to twelve sessions of ECT.
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Types of ECT
ECT is typically divided into two types: Unilateral and Bilateral.
Unilateral ECT: In this therapy, one electrode is positioned on top (vertex) of the head and the other is placed on the right side of the skull.
Bilateral ECT: Under this treatment, electrodes are placed on each side of the head.
Does ECT Work?
The full form of ECT is Electroconvulsive Therapy and it is found to be highly effective for the relief of major depression. Extensive research and clinical evidence suggest that for people with uncomplicated, but severe major depression, ECT will yield a significant improvement in roughly 80 percent of patients. It is also utilized to treat other severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia. ECT is also sometimes incorporated in the treatment of individuals with catatonia — a condition in which an individual can become increasingly aggressive and unresponsive. A person suffering from catatonia can seriously injure themselves or develop severe dehydration from not drinking or eating.
Steps Involved Getting ECT
ECT means Electroconvulsive Therapy. Before starting a series of ECT treatments, a patient must receive a thorough psychiatric evaluation, including a medical examination and sometimes a normal blood test and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to keep a check on heart health.
Informed consent is another crucial component of the process. A patient is required to submit written informed consent before ECT is administered. In events where a person is too ill to make decisions for him or herself, the consent process is supervised by state law (for instance, a court-appointed guardian).
Patients and their families must discuss all options with the performing doctor for treatment with the psychiatrist before making a particular treatment decision. They should be rendered with adequate information to completely understand the procedure and the potential risks, benefits, and side effects of each treatment option before giving written consent.
A patient essentially receives ECT two or three times a week for a total of six to twelve treatments, conditional to the severity of symptoms and in what amount of time the symptoms respond to the treatment.
During each treatment, a patient is administered with general anaesthesia and a muscle relaxant and electrodes are fastened to the scalp at precise sites. With a brief controlled series of electrical pulses, the patient's brain is made to stimulate. This induces a seizure within the brain that lasts for roughly a minute. The patient is asleep at the time of procedure and awakens after 5-10 minutes, much as from a minor operative.
Other Important Uses of ECT
ECT is essentially used when other treatments, including psychotherapy and medications, haven’t worked desirably. ECT is also used for people requiring a rapid treatment response due to the severity of their condition, such as being at risk for suicide.
The effectiveness of ECT to treat severe mental illnesses is recognized by the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, Great Britain and many other countries.
However remember that ECT can be very effective for many people with adverse mental illness, it is not a cure. To avert off a return of the illness, most people treated with ECT need to continue with a certain sort of maintenance treatment. This essentially indicates psychotherapy and/or medication or, in some cases, ongoing ECT treatments.
FAQs on ECT Full Form
1. What are the Risks and Benefits of ECT?
Answer: Same as many medical procedures, ECT possesses some risks. ECT therapy has been linked with short-term memory loss and complex learning. Some people have trouble remembering instances that took place in the weeks prior to the treatment or earlier. In most cases, memory issues improve within several months. Some patients may experience longer-lasting issues, including permanent gaps in memory.
The risks of general anaesthesia, which is required for ECT, are like the risks when anaesthesia is incorporated for other procedures such as minor surgeries. The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include headache, fatigue, nausea, ambiguity, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours.
These risks should be balanced with the outcomes of ineffectively treated severe psychiatric disorders. For a couple of patients, the risks of ECT may be less than those of continuation treatment with medications. ECT can function more rapidly than medications. It can be particularly useful if a patient is suicidal, is not responding to medications or cannot bear the side effects of medication.
2. What are the Other Brain Stimulation Treatments other than ECT?
Answer: TMS meaning Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is used to treat depression which has failed to respond to other therapies. It involves the utilization of quickly altering magnetic fields to revitalize particular areas of the brain. Contrary to ECT meaning Electroconvulsive Therapy, TMS meaning Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation does not cause a seizure and the patient remains awake through the noninvasive process. TMS essentially only poses mild side effects including headaches, pain and muscle twitches at the stimulation site. TMS is generally administered 4 or 5 times a week for 4 – 6 weeks.
Another is VNS meaning Vagus Nerve Stimulation was developed as a treatment for seizure disorders but can also treat depression that has not responded to other therapies.
