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The medical professionals of electroconvulsive remedy (ECT) are being exaggerated whereas the dangers are being downplayed, recommend the findings of a survey on the kind of info sufferers and their kinfolk/mates recall having been given earlier than the process, and revealed on-line within the Journal of Medical Ethics.
Primarily based on the responses, the researchers calculate that sufferers had been practically 4 instances extra more likely to recall being advised that the ensuing reminiscence issues had been short-term moderately than long-term. And so they had been six instances extra more likely to recall being advised that ECT may be life-saving moderately than about potential coronary heart issues.
ECT entails inducing a short, managed seizure within the mind utilizing electrical currents, often given in six to 12 remedies underneath normal anesthesia over a number of weeks, clarify the researchers.
Since its invention in 1938, ECT has remained a controversial process. And there may be nonetheless no consensus on its medical professionals and cons, precisely the way it works–and for which psychological well being circumstances—or the optimum dosing protocol, they add.
In 2023, a joint report by the World Well being Group (WHO) and the United Nations confirmed that anybody supplied ECT needs to be made conscious of all its dangers and potential short- and long-term dangers, corresponding to reminiscence loss and mind harm.
However current audits of affected person info leaflets on ECT in Australia and from throughout the UK recommend that the effectiveness of the remedy is usually exaggerated whereas the dangers are minimized, notice the researchers.
To seek out out what ECT recipients, and their kinfolk/mates, recall being advised concerning the process, the researchers drew on the survey responses of a comfort pattern of 858 ECT recipients and 286 kinfolk and mates from 44 international locations, accomplished between January and September 2024.
Most respondents had been white and feminine. The typical age on the time of their final ECT was 41, however ranged from 12 to 87. Most ECT recipients (73%) had their final ECT between 2010 and 2024. However for round 2%, this dated again to between 1950 and 1969.
The explanations given for the remedy included despair (73%); psychosis/schizophrenia (17%); bipolar dysfunction/mania (15%); catatonia (8%); different (13%); and ‘do not know’ (6%).
Respondents had been requested in the event that they remembered having been knowledgeable concerning the attainable unwanted effects of ECT, principally coronary heart issues; short-term and long-term reminiscence issues, together with larger susceptibility to those amongst girls and older individuals; and the cognitive dangers related to serial normal anesthesia.
They had been additionally requested in the event that they remembered having been knowledgeable about their authorized rights in relation to ECT, together with that there is no proof ECT has any long-term advantages.
And so they had been requested in the event that they recalled being advised (and misinformed) that despair is brought on by a chemical imbalance within the mind; ECT corrects this and different mind abnormalities; ECT may be life-saving/prevents suicide; it is the simplest remedy for extreme despair.
Of the 735 ECT recipients who answered the query concerning the adequacy of the data obtained earlier than the process, over half (59%) mentioned this wasn’t enough whereas 17% weren’t positive.
For instance, practically two thirds (63%) recall being advised that “ECT can cause temporary memory problems,” however solely 17% that it “can cause long-term or permanent memory problems.”
Solely 12% recall being advised that “ECT can cause heart problems” and 28% that there are “risks from repeated general anesthesia.”
There have been greater ranges of recall across the info given concerning the particular advantages of ECT, though a few of these advantages are disputed, say the researchers.
When requested to contemplate an inventory of things of misinformation, many recipients and kinfolk recall being advised “depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain” (58% and 53%, respectively) and that “ECT corrects chemical imbalance or other brain abnormality” (42% and 41%, respectively).
Primarily based on 682 ECT recipients who recalled a minimum of one piece of data, the researchers calculated that they had been practically 4 instances extra more likely to bear in mind having been advised about short-term reminiscence issues as they had been to have been advised about long-term or everlasting reminiscence issues.
They had been greater than 5 instances as more likely to recall having been advised ECT is the simplest remedy for extreme despair as they had been that there is no proof for any long-term advantages. And so they had been six instances extra more likely to bear in mind having been advised that ECT may be “life-saving/prevents suicide” as they had been about potential coronary heart issues.
Everybody was invited to incorporate as much as two different issues they recalled clinicians telling them about ECT, if any: 363 ECT recipients, and 37 household/mates did so. The most typical info reported (154 recipients and 11 household/mates) concerned minimizing reminiscence loss or different unwanted effects in numerous methods.
This included denial of any long-term results (51) or just stating that ECT is secure (34); 51 respondents recall being advised ECT was the one choice left for restoration, principally as a result of psychiatric medication hadn’t labored.
It is a comfort pattern and the researchers acknowledge that it could subsequently not be consultant of all ECT recipients. And people who had been dissatisfied with their expertise may need been extra more likely to fill within the survey.
The responses additionally relied on private recall, which, in a couple of instances, dated again to the Fifties. And occasions within the interval simply earlier than ECT are significantly weak to being misplaced due to the ECT, warning the researchers.
Nonetheless, the findings align with these of earlier research, they level out. “The minimization of risks, particularly long-term adverse effects, was pronounced in both our quantitative and qualitative data,” they spotlight, including, “The legal implications of not ensuring informed consent are substantial.”
They conclude, “These findings, in conjunction with previous studies, suggest an urgent need for greater efforts to ensure that patients and families are provided with comprehensive, balanced, evidence-based information when deciding whether to have ECT.”
They recommend, “If efforts to persuade hospitals and clinics to comply with the ethical principle of informed consent by providing balanced, comprehensive, evidence-based information are unsuccessful, professional, regulatory, and government organizations should intervene.”
Extra info:
A big exploratory survey of electroconvulsive remedy recipients, relations and mates: what info do they recall being given, Journal of Medical Ethics (2025). DOI: 10.1136/jme-2024-110629
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British Medical Journal
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Medical professionals of electroconvulsive remedy could also be exaggerated whereas cons are downplayed (2025, August 14)
retrieved 14 August 2025
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