[Electroconvulsive therapy. Indications, procedure and treatment results]

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective forms of treatment for severe and persistent psychiatric disorders. ECT is used for a broad spectrum of diseases; however, it has proven particularly helpful in the treatment of therapy-resistant depressive episodes. In addition it has also been successfully used in the treatment of other disorders, such as acute mania and acute psychotic states. Basically ECT should be considered in all cases of severe psychiatric disorder in which an adequate psychopharmacological and/or psychotherapeutic treatment strategy has failed or when the side-effects of medications have proven unbearable. As with other forms of psychiatric treatment ECT is not always used in the same manner and in different institutions in the same way and there are also differences in opinions between clinicians and researchers on various aspects of ECT. In this article the up-to-date standards for effective ECT treatment are outlined and discussed in the light of the current knowledge.