A muscle-relaxing medication is then injected, while the patient breathes pure oxygen. When the patient's muscles are relaxed, a brief electrical charge is applied to the scalp, stimulating the brain into rhythmical activity that lasts about a minute and is accompanied by release of chemicals from nerves in the brain. When it is over, the patient is taken to a recovery area and observed by trained staff until he awakens, usually in about 20 minutes. ECT is usually given two or three times a week, typically Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, for a total of 6 to 12 treatments. A few patients may require more than 12 treatments for maximum benefit.
Most patients remain well for many months afterwards.
Permanent cures for psychiatric illnesses are rare, however, regardless of the treatment given. A recent study in California found about one death per 50,000 treatments, far below the risk of childbirth. Another study observed that death from heart attacks and suicide were less frequent among depressed patients who had received ECT than among those who had not. With modern anesthesia, fractures and oxygen deprivation virtually never occur, and many patients with high blood pressure or heart conditions can now be treated. On awakening from ECT, it is customary for patients to experience some confusion, which generally clears within an hour.