Ketamine infusion therapy is a mode of treatment for severe depression. Unresponsive patients to standard depression therapies need it to get better. Ketamine infusion is not the primary treatment for depression. Psychiatrists try other methods first before using it. Ketamine infusion may be a last resort, but it has lots of advantages. Here are some of them.
Many patients with MDD (major depressive disorder) end up having TRD (treatment-resistant depression). These patients do not improve with regular antidepressants. For such individuals, psychiatrists recommend ketamine infusion therapy. There are still some aspects in this therapy that researchers are trying to clear up. Studies show that this treatment can help patients with depression. Ketamine infusion has a high success rate as a depression treatment.
More than half of patients with TRD achieve relief after one infusion therapy. Others feel better after two to three ketamine infusions. The efficacy of this treatment depends on the patient. That is why a thorough consultation is important before the therapy starts.
Severe depression can be life-threatening. Patients, who suffer from it, need quick relief. Traditional antidepressants take weeks or months to work. Patients do not have to wait that long for relief if they go through ketamine infusion therapy. With this treatment, depression symptoms usually improve within hours. Studies show that ketamine acts by boosting glutamate levels.
Glutamate is the most plentiful stimulative neurotransmitter in the brain. It handles many brain functions. It can power nerve impulses in the brain. Glutamate also triggers the development of brain synapses. Any abnormality in glutamatergic neurotransmission leads to the development of MDD and TRD.
Electroconvulsive therapy or ECT involves administering electrical shocks over the patient’s scalp. That is why patients need to be under anesthesia before it starts. The patient must be unconscious during the treatment session. That way, the patient does not feel pain. This invasive technique even results in memory loss.
With ketamine infusion, the patient does not need anesthesia at all. The patient sits in a quiet room and waits for the infusion to finish. Relaxing activities are even available to pass the time. The results of ketamine infusion allow patients to return to their normal routine. Side effects include nausea and mild hallucinations. These adverse effects last for a short time after the session.
Ketamine infusion is not like a magic pill that makes patients better in one therapy session. It does not make the patient wait years for positive results either. On average, a patient must complete a series of six infusion sessions. The treatments should happen in equal intervals within two to three weeks. Once the first series of treatments are over, a maintenance phase follows. This comes with occasional booster treatments if the patient needs them.
Ketamine is a known party drug. It was a famous street medication for recreational drug users. The absence of proper supervision can lead to the misuse of this drug. But because of the benefits of this drug, doctors use it to sedate children and adults for many procedures. The correct dosage and administration can prevent addiction.
Ketamine infusion gives a low dose of ketamine to patients. The slow infusion of low-dose ketamine prevents the onset of addiction. A controlled environment in a healthcare facility and the supervision of a health care provider results in proper treatment with anticipated results. The patient will need decreasing doses while the condition improves.
The patient will receive the ketamine infusion and then stay for observation. Licensed healthcare providers will keep an eye on the patient for side effects. The patient can only go home when the patient feels better. Someone will need to drive the patient home because of residual side effects.
Patients with a history of addiction must work with the doctor before and during the infusion. This will ease the patient’s mind about the effectiveness of the treatment. Having a licensed health care provider overseeing the treatment will leave no window of the drug’s misuse. The patient can have peace of mind after each session.
Severe depression is debilitating. Patients who suffer from this condition should get relief right away. There is no room to wait for months or years to tone down the symptoms. The quicker depression symptoms go away, the sooner you move away from self-harm.
Ketamine infusion is a gentler way to target depression symptoms. The treatment passes through your veins and not through your brain. You can discuss ketamine infusion with your psychiatrist. That way, you can start your road to recovery from severe depression.
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