Skip to Content
Merck
  • Successful treatment of co-occurring catatonia and obsessive-compulsive disorder with concurrent electroconvulsive therapy and benzodiazepine administration.

Successful treatment of co-occurring catatonia and obsessive-compulsive disorder with concurrent electroconvulsive therapy and benzodiazepine administration.

The journal of ECT (2012-08-24)
Michael Makhinson, Benjamin Albert Furst, Michelle Kristina Shuff, Grace Eun Kwon
ABSTRACT

Catatonia, associated with a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions such as mood disorders and schizophrenia, is frequently treated with either benzodiazepines or with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in treatment-resistant cases. Simultaneous treatment with both is usually avoided. Here, we report a case of the use of the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil before ECT to facilitate the simultaneous use of lorazepam and ECT for the treatment of co-occurring catatonia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Both catatonia and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms improved in the patient. Physicians should be aware of flumazenil as a clinical tool for use in treatment-resistant cases.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Lorazepam, European Pharmacopoeia (EP) Reference Standard
Lorazepam for system suitability, European Pharmacopoeia (EP) Reference Standard