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The use of Arfonad for the Alleviation of Cardio-Vascular Stress Following Electro-Convulsive Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2018

G. I. Tewfik  and
B. G. Wells
G. I. Tewfik
Affiliation:
Hill End Hospital, St. Albans
B. G. Wells
Affiliation:
Cardiological Department, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London
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Extract

The safety of electro-convulsive therapy (E.C.T.) has been greatly increased since muscle relaxants were first introduced for this purpose. Short-acting relaxants such as suxamethonium and suxethonium reduce the usual strong tonic and clonic contractions to faint muscle twitchings, and fractures do not occur. Respiration can be maintained throughout by positive pressure inflation so that cyanosis and stertorous breathing are avoided. This may ensure that material from small pulmonary lesions is not disseminated to other areas. It is disappointing that the cardiovascular commotion is only slightly reduced, and deaths still occur, albeit rarely.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Mental Science , Volume 103 , Issue 432 , July 1957 , pp. 636 - 644
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1957 

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