Why the study?
Does labetalol without anticholinergic premedication cause adverse bradycardic effects or lengthen asystole in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy?
Does labetalol without anticholinergic premedication cause adverse bradycardic effects or lengthen asystole in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy?
Labetalol can be safely administered during electroconvulsive therapy without routine anticholinergic premedication, as it does not appear to cause adverse bradycardia or lengthen asystole.
May support labetalol without anticholinergics in ECT; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
Labetalol, a combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blocker is often used to attenuate the transient increases in heart rate and blood pressure that accompany electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It has been suggested that labetalol should not be administered during ECT without the protection provided by anticholinergic medications, because of its potential severe bradycardic effects. We present our experience with 32 patients from all age groups who received labetalol without anticholinergic treatment during ECT. None of the patients demonstrated adverse bradycardic effects. We conclude that administration of labetalol during ECT does not routinely require premedication with anticholinergic drugs and does not lengthen asystole.
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Dannon et al. (1998) studied this question.
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