Electroconvulsive(ECT) or electroshock therapy(EST) remains controversial and its indications are still the subject of discussion. Despite both medical and legal opposition, it is still widely practiced. The aim of ECT is to produce a grand mal seizure rather than the electrical stimulus which is responsible for the therapeutic effect. This causes widespread physiological changes, particularly affecting the cardiovascular and nervous system. The anesthetic agents for ECT should provide a smoooth rapid induction, a rapid recovery and attenuation of the physiologic effect of ECT.

Propofol(1 mg/kg) and thiopental sodium(2 mg/kg) were compared as anesthetic agents for ECT in 20 patients on four occasions in a repeated measure crossover study. In each patients receiving propofol or thiopental sodium on different occasions, arterial pressure, heart rate, seizure duration and recovery time were recorded.

The incidence of discomfort on injection was significantly higher with propofol (47.5%) compared to thiopental sodium (2.5%). The duration of seizure with propofol was 37±11.3 sec and thiopental sodium was 41.2±11.6 sec but it was not significant(P=0.11). The increase in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure and heart rate were higher with thiopental sodium. Recovery time was significantly shorter with thiopental sodium (476.5±47.7 sec) compares to propofol (506.6±62.2 sec) (P<0.05).

Propofol is more effective than thiopental sodium at obtunding the hypertensive to ECT without causing significant hypotention.