Catecholamine and cardiovascular response to electro-convulsion therapy in man.

Fourteen anaesthetized patients undergoing electro-convulsion therapy on one or more occasions were studied. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline levels were measured before, during and after the electric shock. With the electric shock, blood pressure and heart rate rose and adrenaline and noradrenaline levels in plasma increased steeply. These values returned to normal within 10 minutes. Asystole of about 2 seconds duration was common with application of the electric shock in patients not premedicated with atropine. With repeated electro-shocks, resting plasma noradrenaline levels decreased as did the noradrenaline response to the shodc Systolic arterial pressure was significantly correlated with circulating levels of noradrenaline in plasma.