Antiepileptics in Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Mechanism-Based Review of Recent Literature.

Although prior conventional wisdom strongly recommended complete discontinuation of medications increasing the seizure threshold before electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), more recent literature suggests that anticonvulsants should be considered a relative rather than an absolute contraindication to proceeding with therapy. Most literature regarding the use of use antiepileptic drugs in ECT focuses on antiepileptic mood stabilizers with which most psychiatrists are familiar. However, there is considerably less information available about the use of newer antiepileptics in conjunction with ECT, which may be prescribed to a patient with epilepsy or off-label for psychiatric reasons.

Identifying the Most Important Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Publications in 2020 Using a Novel Literature Assessment Instrument.

Background: As the science of consultation-liaison psychiatry advances, the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry's Guidelines and Evidence-Based Medicine Subcommittee reviews articles of interest to help academy members remain familiar with the latest in evidence-based practice.

Objective: We identify the 10 most important articles for clinical practice in consultation-liaison psychiatry from 2020 using the new Importance and Quality instrument for assessing scientific literature.

Methods: The subcommittee published annotated abstracts for 97 articles on the academy website in 2020.