Abstract | OBJECTIVE: Review the medical literature on the history and clinical features of catatonia so as to provide a contemporary clinical guide for successfully diagnosing and treating the various clinical forms of catatonia. DESIGN: RESULTS of MEDLINE computerized searches using search terms ' catatonia', 'treatment of catatonia', 'electroconvulsive therapy and catatonia', ' benzodiazepines and catatonia', clinical case reports, and book chapters covering the medical and psychiatric literature relevant to catatonia and its associated treatments were examined. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: None. MEASUREMENTS: None. RESULTS:
Catatonia is a common but under-recognized clinical syndrome. No large-scale, controlled studies exist to determine the relative effectiveness of current treatments, including sedative- hypnotic medications ( benzodiazepines or barbiturates), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of large-scale, controlled studies, benzodiazepines appear to be an effective first-line treatment for catatonia. ECT is now often reserved as a second-line treatment despite more than 60 years of documented efficacy and safety. However, ECT should be viewed as a first-line intervention in cases of severe or malignant catatonias.
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Authors | Mahendra T Bhati, Catherine J Datto, John P O'Reardon |
Journal | Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa. : Township))
(Psychiatry (Edgmont))
Vol. 4
Issue 3
Pg. 46-52
(Mar 2007)
ISSN: 1555-5194 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 20805910
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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