Data Compiled from Texas MHMR (Mental Health Mental Retardation) Reports
Of the 10 deaths in the calendar year (1996) confirmed by MHMR reports:
1. Five of the patients who died were over the age of 70. 8 of the patients who died were
over the age of 60. Nine of the patients were over the age of 58, and all ten were over
the age of 45. The oldest patient reported on was 84.
2. The hospitals which reported deaths in the last year combined to use shock on 214% more
patients age 65 than on patients age 64. The difference? Medicare payments begin at age
65. For the year, 155% more patients at all hospitals combined in Texas received shock at
age 65 than at age 64. For the three year reporting period to September, 1993, 227% more
patients at all hospitals combined received shock at age 65 than at age 64.
3. 48.4% of all shock treatments given at the 9 hospitals reporting deaths were given to
patients over age 65. For the year, 44.8% of all shock patients in Texas combined were
over age 65.
4. 69% of all shock treatments given at the 9 hospitals reporting deaths were paid for by
public funds (Medicare, Medicaid, etc.)
5. Five of the patients who died were women. All 5 men who died were over the age of 58.
6. Despite a state law which requires autopsies be performed on all patients who die
within 14 days of shock, only one autopsy was performed. This was only the second autopsy
to be performed in 22 reported deaths since the reporting system was established in
September, 1993.
7. The facilities at which patients died used bilateral shock treatments more often than
the unilateral type which is recommended by the FDA because of fewer reported side
effects. The percentages of bilateral shock usage per hospital for all patients for the
year were: St. David’s 100% bilateral, Memorial Southwest 100% bilateral, Richardson
medical Center 100% bilateral, Doctor’s Hospital 100% bilateral, Pavilion Amarillo
97% bilateral, Parkland Memorial Hospital 79% bilateral, Scott and White Hospital 25%
bilateral, DePaul 16.5% bilateral.
For the year, 84.5% of patients at all hospitals combined in Texas received bilateral
treatments according to MHMR’s year end report.
8. 35 of 91 patients at one psychiatric hospital (38.5%) were reported to have received
more than one shock treatment per anesthesia session, a technique called Multiple
Monitored electroshock. It is considered more dangerous than procedures that use only one
shock per anesthesia, because the shock treatments are given so closely together (just a
few minutes apart, usually). No other hospital on the list reported the use of Multiple
Monitored shock treatments to MHMR.
9. Of the 673 patients treated at the 9 hospitals reporting deaths after shock, 207, or
30.8%, prior to treatment had no depressive symptoms, mild symptoms, or only moderate
symptoms. This despite the fact that psychiatrists for years have claimed that shock is
only used in the most severe cases of depression as a treatment of last resort. For the
year, 26.9% patients in all Texas hospitals combined received shock treatments with
pre-treatment diagnoses of no symptoms, mild symptoms, or only moderate symptoms.
10. 27 patients at the 9 hospitals reporting deaths after shock were given shock
treatments without consenting on their own behalf.
