Describe the preanesthetic evaluation of ECT patients

Describe the preanesthetic evaluation of ECT patients.

The preanesthetic evaluation for ECT patients is the same as that for any patient about to undergo anesthetic care. However, the profound psychological disorder may make the preanesthetic history more difficult to obtain. Thus, ECT patients may be poor historians or may be completely nonverbal. In these cases, a history by medical records, family or other caregivers may be the best way to evaluate the anesthetic risk in these select patients. Patients about to undergo ECT may be receiving psychotropic agents that can interact with commonly used anesthetic agents.

Premedications may include an anticholinergic to pre-vent the ECT-induced bradycardia, aspiration prophylaxis for patients at risk for aspiration, and acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to lessen the myal-gias associated with ECT.