Changes in Heart Rate Variability of Depressed Patients after Electroconvulsive Therapy

Table 2

Medications of study subjects with potential effects on heart rate variability before and during a course of electroconvulsive therapy.

		Before ECT-1		Before ECT-6
		ECT Nonresponders (𝑛=11) (𝑛, %)	ECT-Responders (𝑛=10) (𝑛, %)	ECT Nonresponders (𝑛=11) (𝑛, %)	ECT-Responders (𝑛=10) (𝑛, %)
Medications that may increase HRV	Aminoketone antidepressant	0	1 (10%)	0	1 (10%)
	Antiarrhythmic	1 (9%)	0	1 (9%)	0
	Anticholesterol	2 (18%)	1 (10%)	2 (18%)	1 (10%)
	Benzodiazepine	6 (55%)	6 (60%)	4 (36%)	4 (40%)
Medications with variable effects on HRV	Beta blocker	2 (18%)	0	2 (17%)	1 (10%)
	Histamine-2 antagonist	3 (27%)	6 (60%)	5 (45%)	1 (10%)
Medications that may decrease HRV	Hormone replacements	3 (27%)	3 (30%)	3 (27%)	4 (40%)
	Smoking cessation	1 (9%)	1 (10%)	1 (9%)	0
	Tricyclic antidepressants	1 (9%)	1 (10%)	1 (9%)	0

ECT: electroconvulsive therapy; HRV: heart rate variability.