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Resolution of severe suicidality with a single electroconvulsive therapy
Jamal Kobeissi1, Amy Aloysi, Kristen Tobias
1Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
The Journal of ECT
|February 24, 2011
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) rapidly reduced suicidal ideation in an 88-year-old man after a single treatment. This effective depression treatment showed sustained remission at 5-month follow-up.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
- Geriatric Medicine
Background:
- Severe depression poses significant risks, including suicidal behavior.
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established rapid-acting treatment for severe depression.
- Suicidal ideation requires urgent and effective intervention.
Observation:
- An 88-year-old male patient presented after a premeditated suicide attempt with lethal means.
- The patient received a single session of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Findings:
- The patient experienced marked improvement following a single ECT session.
- Suicidal ideation remitted completely after treatment.
- The patient remained free of suicidal ideation at a 5-month follow-up.
- This suggests a single ECT session can be highly effective in acute suicidal crises.
Implications:
- Minimizing the number of ECT treatments may be beneficial while maintaining efficacy.
- Further research into biological markers for response to single-session ECT is warranted.
- ECT offers a rapid and effective option for managing severe depression with acute suicidal risk, even in elderly patients.
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