California Figures From the Department of Mental Health - Number of Complications Resulting from ECT

Written by Juli Lawrence

Page 3 of 3

Number of Complications Resulting from ECT

For reporting purposes: memory loss lasting longer than three months after final treatment; apnea must last longer than 20 minutes; deaths must occur within 24 hours of treatment

1989

Total Complications: 520, 20% of Patients

Type of Complication	Number	Percent
	Cardiac Arrest	0	0
	Memory Loss	498	95.8
	Fractures	0	0
	Apnea	22	4.2
	Deaths	0	0

1990

Total Complications: 656, 24.7% of Patients

Type of Complication	Number	Percent
	Cardiac Arrest	1	0.2
	Memory Loss	538	82.0
	Fractures	3	0.5
	Apnea	114	17.4
	Deaths	0	0

1991

Total Complications: 530, 23.5% of Patients

Type of Complication	Number	Percent
	Cardiac Arrest	1	0.2
	Memory Loss	510	96.2
	Fractures	2	0.4
	Apnea	17	3.2
	Deaths	0	0

1992

Total Complications: 252, 10.7% of Patients

Type of Complication	Number	Percent
	Cardiac Arrest	2	0.8
	Memory Loss	249	98.8
	Fractures	0	0
	Apnea	1	0.4
	Deaths	0	0

1994

Total Complications: 631, 25% of Patients

Type of Complication	Number	Percent
	Cardiac Arrest	2	0.3
	Memory Loss	629	99.7
	Fractures	0	0
	Apnea	0	0
Deaths	0	0

Total Complications, 1989-1994

Totals: 2,589, 21% of all patients suffered complications

Complication	Number	% of all patients	% of all complications
	Cardiac Arrest	6	0.04	0.23
	Memory Loss	2,424	19.7	93.6
	Fractures	5	0.04	0.2
	Apnea	154	1.25	5.9
	Deaths	0	0	0