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Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence

Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access

ISSN: 2329-6488

+44 1223 790975

Abstract

The Risks of Alcohol Withdrawal Inducing Generalised Non-Convulsive Status Epilepticus (NCSE) in Patients Undergoing Electro-Convulsive Therapy

Lloyd Reeve Johnson, Alston Unwin and Harry McConnell

Alcohol and drug dependence are strongly associated with major depression. ECT remains an effective yet poorly understood treatment and NCSE is a serious, apparently uncommon, yet probably under-reported side-effect of ECT especially in those who have recently withdrawn from alcohol or benzodiazepine drugs. Alcohol or drug dependence should be considered risk factors for non-convulsive status epilepticus in patients undergoing ECT and withdrawal should be complete before ECT is prescribed.

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