A 24-year-old female complains of suicidal ideation. She lost her family in a car accident earlier this year. Since then, she had problems with focusing on her work. She was laid off from her work as she was making many errors due to false judgment. She was rescued from suicidal attempts a couple of times. She was prescribed electroconvulsive therapy. The intravenous anesthetic of choice for electroconvulsive therapy is:
Answer: c) MethohexitalMethohexital has minimum interference with therapeutic induction of seizures. Hence, it is the drug of choice for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).Propofol can be used as an alternative if methohexital is contraindicated.Therapeutic seizures induced by ECT typically last for 15-70s.The steps involved in the anesthesia for ECT are as follows:Pre-oxygenation: Should be maintained at near 100%. It decreases post-seizure hyperventilation and prevents increased intensity of seizures.Anesthetic medication: Drug of choice is methohexital.Anticholinergic medication: It prevents vagally mediated bradycardia and reduces excess respiratory and oral secretions.Skeletal muscle relaxant: It prevents musculoskeletal injury.
Thiopentone
Ketamine
Methohexital
Fentanyl
Treatment