The New Breakthrough in Depression: The Ketamine Drug

Did you know that the ketamine drug is now starting to be used to treat depression? Read this guide to learn what’s new in depression treatment.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders. As the leading cause of disability, 16.1 million American adults suffer from a major depressive disorder. This translates to 6.7% of the US population age 18 years and above.

For over a decade, there has been a vacuum in the treatment of depression. Although there were drugs for treating depression, no new medications were available until now. On March 5th, 2019, the FDA approved a new drug for treating major depression called ketamine drug.

What Is Ketamine Drug?

This refers to medication with treatment-resistant depression marks. Sold as a nasal spray, the medication comes from ketamine. This is an anesthetic that has antidepressant effects.

While there are depression drugs, the ketamine depression drug is a game changer. For starters, it has the potential of helping people for whom no treatment has been available.

How a Ketamine Drug Works

Ketamines started as an anesthesia medication back in the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, it was widely used in the battlefields of the Vietnam War. When administered at lower doses during ketamine therapy, it helps to ease the pain.

It assists sedatives to work eliminating the need for addictive painkillers. If misused, ketamine can change your sense of sound and sight. As such, you will not be in touch with your surroundings and may have hallucinations.

As the party Special K drug, ketamine is a compound consisting of two mirror image molecules. The compound is not patented but Janssen patented the molecule’s left part, esketamine. This was sent through the FDA approval for use as ketamine for depression.

Available as a nasal spray, it triggers glutamate production. This prompts the brain to regrow new neural connections.

By doing so, the brain becomes more adaptable creating new pathways. As such, patients have the opportunity of developing more positive behaviors and thoughts.

Learn more about depression and addiction treatment to overcome both illnesses.

Can the Ketamine Drug Be Administered at Home?

At the moment, it’s only available at the doctor’s office. The patient can self-administer the nasal spray but he or she has to stay at the doctor’s office for two hours.

While the drug would be beneficial to those unable to get to the clinic, there are advantages for this. For instance, patients enjoy supportive measures such as talk therapy. Also, the doctor will have the time to check in with the patient about their status and the illness.

In the case of negative effects, the patient will receive immediate medical attention.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Yes, there are. The patient will experience dissociative changes after self-administering at the doctor’s office. These are mild and transient. Other side effects include feeling floaty, increase in blood pressure and heart rate.

These side effects may last between 45 minutes to 1 hour. At the doctor’s office, monitoring of the patient occurs for two hours before the patient goes home.

Fast Tracking Depression Treatment with Ketamine Drug

Hailed as the first true treatment for depression, the ketamine drug gives hope for those with depression. This is true for whom old and new antidepressants don’t work. As a game changer, doctors have the tool to fight depression and offer new hope to patients.