Appropriateness for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be assessed on a three-item scale

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective and rapid treatment for severe depression; however, it should be prescribed to the limited number of patients with severe mood and psychotic disorders for whom it is clearly appropriate. We present an assessment scale that we hypothesize can be used to predict a patient's appropriateness for ECT, based on the severity, heritability, and episodic nature of their depression. This scale is offered as a tool to help the practitioner and patient gain a sense of how well the patient fits the profile of someone for whom ECT is a reasonable treatment option.