Electroconvulsive therapy and intracranial aneurysm

Abstract

Little has been written regarding the safety of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) administered to patients with intracranial aneurysms. The literature is reviewed and we report two additional cases of ECT safely and effectively employed to treat depressed patients with intracranial aneurysms. We found no reported cases of aneurysm rupture associated with ECT. We do not feel the presence of intracranial aneurysm is a contraindication to ECT, in most patients, with appropriate monitoring and control of arterial blood pressure.