Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for severe and persistent depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The authors pretend to describe their experience and evaluate the efficacy of the technique on clinical practice.

We present our experience of ECT use at a University Hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, over the course of 5 years, thought a naturalistic review.

During the study period, 81 patients received ECT. ECT was conducted under the supervision of consultant psychiatrist and anaesthetist with continuous monitoring during and after the procedure. Bitemporal electrode placement was used twice or thrice weekly. Most commonly used sleep induction agents were thiopental and propofol. The average number of ECTs administered per patient was 8. Patients who received ECT were diagnosed unipolar major depression (49.4%), bipolar disorder (29.6%), schizophrenia (19.8%) and schizoaffective disorder (1.2%). Mean age of patients who received ECT were 44 years, in a great range between 16 and 81 years-old. The majority was female (65.4%). Almost all patients showed improvement in their clinical condition (90%). The most frequent complication was bradycardia followed by hypertension. No major complication was observed in any of the patients. Thirty-three percent of patients repeat the ECT along those 5 years. When support ECT started to be realized, recurrence decreased.

Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of ECT. We strongly recommend following guidelines to ensure patient safety and minimizing side effects. This will ensure better patient acceptability and compliance.