Beat-to-beat hemodynamic monitoring during electroconvulsive therapy.

Objectives: Rapid parasympathetic and sympathetic hemodynamic effects during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may pose vulnerable patients to significant risk for cardiovascular complications. Here, we evaluated the clinical feasibility of noninvasive beat-to-beat arterial blood pressure (BP) measurements in patients undergoing ECT.

Methods: Beat-to-beat hemodynamic effects were measured with a noninvasive BP monitor in 24 individual patients undergoing ECT during general anesthesia.