A study of 372 ECT recipients found that 18 (5%) died within two years of treatment, slightly greater than the 22 deaths in the 704 equally depressed patients (3%) who did not get ECT (Black et al., 1989). An Australian study (Brodarty et al., 2000) found a death rate among ECT recipients of 21% over two years in people aged 65 to 74 years.