Volume-1 Issue-1 July, 2011
❌ECT is an old and outdated mode of treatment
✅ECT is a cost effective, Evidence based treatment option even today and is also one of the life saving option in patients with high suicidal ideations
❌ECT works by instilling fear in patients
✅ECT works by its action on number of neurotransmitters and has no placebo effect.
❌ECT is Painful procedure which can damage Brain
✅Modified ECT is carried out under General Anesthesia (Short Acting) without any pain/evidence of brain damage
❌ECT has many contraindications and is a not a safe procedure
✅ECT has only one contraindication, which is raised intracranial tension
❌ECT is used only in patients with psychiatric disorders
✅ECT has been used in other neurological disorders as well like Parkinson’s disease and Status Epilepticus.
❌ECT is costly inpatient procedure and carried out only in specialty hospital
✅ECT can be carried out as outpatient procedure and costs as less as Rs.600-900/- in Medical college Hospitals.
❌ECT is not carried out in developed nations and not recommended in any of International Guidelines.
✅ECT is recommended in almost all International Guidelines and carried out even in UK, US.
❌ECT causes irreversible memory loss.
✅ECT causes minimal memory loss, especiallyimmediate memory but that recovers within few weeks.
— Compiled by Kiran Kantanavar (Intern), AIMS