Electroconvulsive therapy and serum potassium.

G J McCleane; J P Howe

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PubMed · 2603269

Electroconvulsive therapy and serum potassium.

G J McCleane·J P Howe

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Abstract

In 54 patients presenting for electroconvulsive therapy, the concentration of serum potassium was measured before and after the induced convulsion modified with a standard anaesthetic technique of methohexitone and suxamethonium. It was found that there was a statistically significant rise in serum potassium, but that the duration of convulsion had no significant effect on that rise in serum potassium. In a further 11 patients, methohexitone alone was administered without ECT, and it was found that serum potassium fell. Methohexitone, suxamethonium and ECT in combination cause a rise in serum potassium which is not clinically important unless pre-induction level is abnormally high, and prolonged convulsion does not exaggerate this rise.

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G J McCleane, J P Howe. 1989. Electroconvulsive therapy and serum potassium.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2603269/

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