Combined use of antipsychotics and electroconvulsive therapy in theurapetically resistant schizophrenia

Abstract

The article provides an overview of data in the literature devoted to the combined use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and antipsychotics in treatment of resistant schizophrenia. ECT with anesthesia and muscle relaxants is a fairly safe method. The combination of ECT and antipsychotics, in the opinion of many authors, may reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia resistant to antipsychotic monotherapy. There is evidence of the successful combination of ECT with both conventional and atypical antipsychotics. Today the main drug having proven efficacy in treatment-resistant schizophrenia is clozapine. ECT&clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia allows to achieve deeper reduction of symptoms and more rapid onset of therapeutic effect. There is evidence of the appropriateness of maintenance ECT in conjunction with antipsychotic therapy to preserve the achieved effect.

Keywords

• клозапин
• электросудорожная терапия
• шизофрения
• терапевтическая резистентность
• clozapine
• electroconvulsive therapy
• schizophrenia
• treatment resistance