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by Dr Allan Scott and Dr Henna Vatts
Last updated: October 2016
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is not a treatment of last resort. Indeed, it is of concern that some contemporary patients have been significantly depressed for several years before being prescribed ECT.
It is still the single most efficacious treatment for depressive illness, and has an important place in the management of certain other psychiatric illnesses that have proven resistant to other treatments. Nevertheless, the prescription of ECT is not an everyday occurrence for the psychiatrist.
The purpose of this module is to guide the prescriber through the process with reference to the latest evidence and recommendations about ECT.
Start the module
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