PSYCHIATRIC NURSING INTERVENTIONS

INSULIN COMA THERAPY

INSULIN COMA THERAPY

Accidentally discovered by Dr. Manfred Sakel in Berlin between 1928 and 1931. Discovery was facilitated when Dr. Sakel observed the reduction of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms in opiate dependent patients

INSULIN COMA THERAPY

Effect of low dose: calmness, weight gain, increase cooperation High dose: induce stupor resulting in less argumentativeness, hostility and aggression; reduction of psychotic symptoms (schizophrenia patients)

THE INTERVENTION
Involved a large dose of insulin which lowered the patients blood glucose enough to produce a coma. Maintained for one to three hours and terminated by either tube feeding or intravenous glucose. A course of treatment could include up to 60 comas

SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS

Mortality at 1-10% Epileptic seizures could occur during the beginning stages of treatment, roughly 45100 minutes into the procedure, but before the onset of the comatose state Delayed recovery or severe hypotension Unconsciousness reaching excessive depths and that the coma would not end despite the administration of feeding or glucose

HEALTHCARE RESPONSIBILITIES
monitor the patients vital signs, to determine the level of danger Recent Development Recent experimental studies have shown that insulin administration causes changes in the release of monoamine neurotransmitters