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Pretreatment with ibuprofen to prevent electroconvulsive therapy-induced headache
Marianna Leung1, Yitzchak Hollander, Glen R Brown
1Department of Pharmacy, St. Paul's Hospital, Providence Health Care, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|May 21, 2003
Summary
Pretreating with ibuprofen significantly reduced the frequency and severity of headaches following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This finding suggests ibuprofen as a potential preventative measure for patients experiencing post-ECT headaches.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for severe psychiatric conditions.
- Headache is a common adverse effect of ECT.
- Current treatments for ECT-induced headache include analgesics like NSAIDs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of ibuprofen in preventing or reducing the severity of headache after ECT.
- To compare ibuprofen's effect against a placebo for post-ECT headache management.
Main Methods:
- A randomized study involving 34 inpatients undergoing ECT.
- Patients received either 600 mg of ibuprofen or a placebo 90 minutes before ECT.
- Headache severity was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) via questionnaires.
Main Results:
- Ibuprofen significantly reduced the incidence of headache post-ECT compared to placebo (p =.022).
- The mean VAS headache scores were significantly lower in the ibuprofen group (0.54 +/- 0.91) versus the placebo group (1.49 +/- 1.54) (p =.007).
- 11 patients experienced headache with placebo but not with ibuprofen.
Conclusions:
- Ibuprofen premedication effectively decreases the frequency and severity of headaches following ECT.
- Ibuprofen should be considered for patients suffering from ECT-induced headaches.
- This study supports the use of NSAIDs for managing common ECT side effects.