Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
Published on: April 11, 2019
[Asystole during electroconvulsive therapy]
Koukichi Hase1, Hitoshi Yoshioka, Takako Nakamura
1Department of Anesthesia Tokyo Metropolitan Toshima Hospital, Tokyo 173-0015.
Background:
Asystole during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been reported as an uncommon but fatal complication. But cardiac movement during electrical stimulation has not been well known.
Methods:
The cardiac movements during electrical stimulation of fifty psychiatric patients treated by ECT under general anesthesia were observed utilizing thoracic echocardiography. Observations of 117 times were performed. Rate pressure products (RPP) immediately before stimulation and during 10 minutes after stimulation were calculated. Asystole was defined as absence of heartbeat for over 2 seconds.
Results:
Asystoles were observed 57 times (48.7%). The heartbeat recovered immediately after stimulation in all asystole cases. RPP increased just after stimulation in all cases. Asystole cases had significantly greater variation of RPP than cases without aystole. (P = 0.0082).
Conclusions:
Electrical stimulation by ECT activates parasympathetic nervous system and convulsion by the stimulation activates sympathetic nervous system. As asystole case had good reactive automatic nervous system, asystole might have been provoked by the stimulation with a greater increase in RPP after the stimulation.
More Related Videos
09:07Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
Published on: August 15, 2017
06:51Concurrent Electroencephalography Recording During Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)
Published on: January 22, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Electroconvulsive Therapy
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation IV: Pharmacological Management
Disturbances in Heart Rhythm
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow heart...
Seizures l: Introduction
Electrocardiogram
Three major waveforms are present in a typical ECG recording: the P wave, the QRS complex, and the T...