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The pitfalls of dose titration as used in electroconvulsive therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

P. O. Byrne ,
R. G. Farquharson  and
I. S. Schofield
P. O. Byrne
Affiliation:
Regional Medical Physics Department
R. G. Farquharson
Affiliation:
Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 6BE
I. S. Schofield
Affiliation:
Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 6BE
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Abstract

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Dose titration is the new colloquialism in ECT circles. The technique, as generally applied, assumes that current and the time for which it is passed, are equally important in the depolarisation of nerve cells. The units used to quantify its measurement, namely the milliCoulomb (mC) reflect this. We think this is misleading and suggest it ought not to be used as a parameter to describe a treatment regime. It is the aim of this communication to explain, in general terms, the physical parameters that control the current flowing in the patient's head, to suggest a more appropriate method to describe the treatment administered and outline the requirements of a good ECT machine.

Type
Original Papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 19 , Issue 4 , April 1995 , pp. 207 - 208
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1995

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