ECT Course Length — MRCPsych Paper B MCQ

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EasyMood DisordersECT Course LengthMRCPsych Paper B

A 40-year-old woman is receiving an acute course of electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression. Which range most closely represents the usual total number of treatment sessions in a course of ECT?

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Correct answer: C — 6–12 sessions

The correct answer is C. A usual acute course of ECT comprises 6–12 treatment sessions, commonly administered twice weekly. The Royal College of Psychiatrists gives an average of approximately 9 or 10 treatments. The total is not prescribed rigidly: clinical response, cognitive effects and other adverse effects must be reviewed throughout, and treatment is stopped when an adequate response has been achieved or the risk–benefit balance becomes unfavourable. Some patients may respond after fewer than 6 sessions, so 1–3 sessions can occasionally be sufficient but is not the usual course. Courses exceeding 12 sessions may sometimes be needed, but the higher ranges are not typical for an acute depressive episode.

Reference: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Guidance on the use of electroconvulsive therapy (TA59), section 3.7: The technology. 2003, updated 2009. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta59/chapter/the-technology