Simultaneous Major Depression and Panic Disorder: Treatment With Electroconvulsive Therapy

Patients with simultaneous depression & panic disorder may have a higher lifetime rate of suicide attempts & an overall worse prognosis than patients with either depression or panic disorder alone. The clinical courses of 8 consecutive patients who were referred for ECT are described. 6 presented with suicidal ideation & 2 had a history of suicide attempts. Even though all 8 showed improvement after treatment, more work is required to establish the role of ECT in the management of such patients.