Does Fluoxetine Prolong Electrically Induced Seizures?

The product literature for the novel antidepressant fluoxetine states that prolonged seizures may occur in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We compared the seizure durations and incidence of prolonged seizures in 12 consecutive patients receiving ECT plus fluoxetine (20-140 mg/day) with 25 controls receiving ECT in the absence of fluoxetine. No differences were found between the groups. Indeed, within the fluoxetine group, higher doses were associated with slightly shorter average seizure durations, and greater stimulus energy was required to elicit a seizure. We find no evidence that fluoxetine prolongs electrically induced seizures.