Electroconvulsive therapy practice in Catalonia

© 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the current use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Catalonia (Spain) as compared with ECT practice 17 years ago (1993). Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire to collect data regarding the use of ECT in Catalan psychiatric units in 2010. A comparative approach was used with respect to previously published data. Results Data were obtained from 25 of the 27 units (92.6%) surveyed. The ECT was used in 20 facilities (80%, as opposed to 60% in 1993), and in all cases, a brief-pulse device was used. The most commonly used anesthetic was propofol (65%), and most facilities recorded the seizure duration (95%). The ECT was always administered in combination with pharmacologic therapy, and the primary clinical indication was depression. Only 20% of the ECT procedures were performed in the inpatient unit. Written informed consent to administer ECT was obtained in all centers. Conclusions The ECT practice in Catalonia has changed since the 1990s, being administered more often, in a more standardized way and across a larger number of psychiatric units. The results indicate considerable consensus with regard to its indications and conditions of application, which comply with current clinical practice guidelines and standards.