Photo Credit: MedicalNews Today
A nasal spray that contains esketamine — a potent derivative of ketamine — can now be taken on its own to treat adults with severe depression, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. The nasal spray is offered under the trade name SPRAVATO®.
AAHPO member and psychiatrist Louis Najarian, MD, helps us to understand what this means: “There is much excitement about the benefit of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression. The improvement is much better when ketamine is injected intravenously under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and nurse. The infusion usually takes two hours and requires two to three treatments per week until there is improvement. This treatment continues while under the care of the patient’s psychiatrist, including continuation of whatever interpretant medication is prescribed. It is obvious the nasal spray is easier to apply daily at home with supervision by the prescribing doctor. The intra venous delivery remains more effective.”
Treatment-resistant depression is defined as major depressive disorder (MDD) that has shown an inadequate response to at least two oral antidepressants. MDD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with an estimated 21 million adults in the U.S. living with MDD. About one-third of adults will not respond to oral antidepressants alone, which has a significant negative impact on the quality of life of those affected. MDD has a high economic burden, with nearly half of it attributable to treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
