Indications

The indications for ECT include:

• severe psychotic depression particularly when there is a high risk of suicide
  
  
• severe depression with prominent somatic signs such as severe weight loss or dehydration
  
  
• occasionally in postnatal depression where the mother must recover promptly so that she can care for the baby
  
  
• mania that has not responded to drug treatment
  
  
• catatonic schizophrenia:
  • ECT can produce rapid changes in acute catatonic schizophrenia
    • there is evidence that suggests that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), combined with treatment with antipsychotic drugs, may be considered an option for people with schizophrenia, particularly when rapid global improvement and reduction of symptoms is desired (1)

Reference:

1. Tharyan P, Adams CE. Electroconvulsive therapy for schizophrenai. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005; (2):CD002249