Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists professional practice guidelines for the use of ketamine in psychiatric practice.

Abstract

Professional practice guidelines for the use of ketamine in psychiatric practice have been developed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists to provide guidance on the use of ketamine in clinical practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, based on scientific evidence and supplemented by expert clinical consensus. Articles and information were sourced from existing guidelines and published literature. The findings were then formulated into consensus-based recommendations and guidance by the authors. The guidelines were subjected to rigorous successive consultation within the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, involving the Section of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neurostimulation Committee, its broader membership and expert committees. The guidelines are intended for psychiatrists and clinicians engaged in the use of ketamine therapy to facilitate best practice to optimise outcomes for patients. They strive to find the appropriate balance between promoting best evidence-based practice and acknowledging that evidence for ketamine use is continually evolving.