UNE’s Stephanie Nichols co-authored “Safety of ECT in patients receiving an oral anticoagulant,” published in Mental Health Clinician, with colleagues from Maine Medical Center.

doi: 10.9740/mhc.2021.07.254

ECT is an important treatment for patients with major depression, catatonia, and other psychiatric disorders and
conditions. Among patients with depression, ECT is effective at attaining remission in 50% to 60%, compared
with 10% to 40% remission rates with pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy.1 A recent review2 reported successful
completion of ECT in 3 patients with cerebral aneurysms taking an anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication.
Nevertheless, ECT may be associated with an increased risk of complications when used in patients with some
medical conditions, including unstable or severe cardiovascular disease, aneurysm or vascular malformation, increased intracranial pressure, recent cerebral infarct, pulmonary conditions, and those at high risk of complications
associated with anesthesia.