Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Ketamine is a medication that can safely and rapidly relieve depression symptoms when delivered in a low dosage intravenous infusion. Beacon Medical Group offers ketamine infusions as an outpatient procedure. Note: Ketamine can also be effective when delivered as a nasal spray.
Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy right for you?
If you are suffering from treatment-resistant depression, bipolar, and anxiety disorders such as PTSD, studies have shown Ketamine Infusion Therapy to be a safe and effective source of relief.
How is Ketamine Infusion Therapy different from SPRAVATO® nasal spray?
Ketamine is administered via slow intravenous infusion. SPRAVATO® uses esketamine and is inhaled through the nose (i.e., intranasal). Esketamine works on a different molecule from ketamine but on the same receptor, NMDA.
How does ketamine work?
Ketamine is different from traditional antidepressant or anxiety medications (e.g., SSRIs) because it works through a different receptor in the brain – the NMDA receptor. Many scientists believe this new pathway is the key to reversing the neuron damage caused by depression and anxiety. Read up on the science about ketamine at: https://www.ketamineadvocacynetwork.org/
What can I expect from a Ketamine Infusion Therapy treatment?
During the treatment you may experience feelings similar to receiving a short-acting anesthetic, or the effect of receiving gas at the dental office. Many patients reported feeling relaxed and happy.
The ketamine infusion will be administered by trained staff at the ketamine clinic. Your vital signs will be closely monitored during and shortly after the treatment. Since ketamine is a very safe drug, side effects are usually limited to nausea and mild sedation.
Your psychiatrist can adjust the dose of the treatment based on your response and side effects from the infusion. Your psychiatrist also will meet with you before each infusion to evaluate the response and discuss with you future treatments.
How safe is ketamine?
Ketamine is a safe drug when administered in a controlled environment (e.g., clinic or hospital).
A trained physician precisely calculates the treatment dose and personalized ketamine for the patient based on many factors such as the patient’s weight and their response to the treatment.
Which disorders are treated with ketamine?
- Depression (i.e., MDD)
- Major mood disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder)
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
