Essential components of pre-electroconvulsive therapy assessment

TL;DR

The paper discusses the need for a standardized pre-ECT assessment due to current variability in practices across Europe.

Contribution

Highlights the lack of international standards for pre-ECT evaluation and suggests the need for a unified approach.

Findings

Current pre-ECT evaluation practices show high variability across Europe.

There is no universally standardized minimal or optimal pre-ECT evaluation internationally.

Establishing a standardized approach could benefit both patients and practitioners.

Abstract

A thorough pre-electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) assessment is a integral to ECT preparation. Usually, the assessment encompasses elements such as medical history, cognitive assessment, laboratory tests, imaging diagnostics, and consultation with an anesthesiologist. However, there is currently no universally standardized minimal or optimal pre-ECT evaluation at the international level. Recent results show a high variability of the pre-ECT evaluation practice across Europe. Establishing a standardized approach to pre-ECT evaluation would be of great interest for both patients and practitioners.

None Declared