The Handbook of ECT covers all aspects of contemporary electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) practice. This concise yet informed text provides medical practitioners with both the theoretical background and practical knowledge to guide them in the practice of ECT. The text is filled with 'clinical pearls' from an expert practitioner which will be of great use to both new and seasoned practitioners of ECT. Each chapter is comprehensively referenced with the latest ECT research and clinical literature. Topics covered include research on mechanisms of action, patient selection by diagnosis, pre-procedural medical and laboratory evaluation, patient preparation in the ECT suite, stimulus dosing strategies, ECT anesthesia, clinical decision making and continuation/maintenance treatment strategies. This book will be of particular value for practicing psychiatrists, psychiatric residents and medical students rotating in psychiatry.