Falls Associated With Electroconvulsive Therapy Among the Geriatric Population

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the treatment of choice in many older individuals with depression and a few other conditions. Like all medical treatments, this intervention has certain possible risks, which include undesirable reactions associated with general anesthesia and those attributed specifically to ECT itself, such as short-term memory loss. The potential association of falls with ECT has not been well studied. Our recent literature search revealed that information on this topic consists mainly of chart reviews and case reports. We present a case of an older woman with a history of recurrent major depressive disorder that required intervention with ECT. She suffered 2 falls during her course of ECT. This case adds to the growing body of anecdotal evidence supporting an association of falls with ECT and highlights the need for more scientifically rigorous data to clarify whether this apparent association is real and/or causally related.