Electroconvulsive therapy revisited.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains an extremely valuable tool in the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders. Despite the sensationalism of the past decade, ECT is the treatment of choice in severe depression that is unresponsive to other therapies or in patients who are overtly suicidal. In addition, ECT is particularly valuable in the elderly population, who are at risk for serious complications from the side effects associated with drug therapy. This report describes a case of recurrent depression in which ECT was successfully used.