Intranasal Ketamine
Intranasal ketamine is offered off label as a less invasive, affordable alternative to IV ketamine treatment for depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar depression.
What is intranasal ketamine?
Ketamine is a medication that has been prescribed since 1970 when it was first approved by the FDA. It has been used as an off-label antidepressant the greater part of the last decade.
Since 2000, there has been a growing body of research that ketamine exerts an antidepressant effect and can be used effectively to improve depressive symptoms. Recently there have been small studies that have reported improvement of symptoms in those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Ketamine’s theorized mechanism of action is different from existing antidepressants. Rather than affecting one of the “monoamine” neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine), as traditional antidepressants do, it acts on the NMDA receptor, which is regulated by glutamate, the most common chemical messenger in the brain.
For patients who are uncomfortable with infusion therapy, we offer intranasal ketamine. The intranasal spray is a far less invasive delivery method than traditional IV ketamine and can be a less costly alternative.
What happens during ketamine treatment?
Patients who receive intranasal ketamine treatment do so in the office under the supervision of a healthcare provider. Often patients report feeling sedated and feel disconnected or disassociated.
Progressive Therapies for Difficult to Treat Mental Illness
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with about 9.5 percent of adults in the United States experiencing it annually. When individuals suffer from depression that remains unresponsive to conventional treatments, novel therapies often can improve outcomes.