Intravenous ketamine infusion for a patient with treatment ‐resistant major depression: a 10‐month follow‐up

Summary What is known and objectiveKetamine in a subanaesthetic dose has been shown to produce rapid antidepressant effects. Here, we describe a long‐term follow‐up case of a Korean patient with severe major depression who received repeated ketamine intravenous therapy (KIT). Case descriptionA 49‐year‐old woman with a 6‐year history of treatment‐resistant major depression was given KIT once every 1 or 2 weeks over 10 months, for a total of 36 treatments. Her mood stabilized, and she showed a nearly 50% reduction in the severity of her depressive symptom. What is new and conclusionLong‐term repeated KIT may be an option for alleviating treatment‐resistant and relapsing major depression. Further research and large clinical trials are needed on the optimum KIT protocol, including dose, dosing interval, total number of treatments and when to stop.
Source: Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: CASE REPORT Source Type: research