Use of repeated intravenous ketamine therapy in treatment-resistant bipolar depression with suicidal behaviour: a case report from Spain.
Álvaro López-díaz, José Luis Fernández-gonzález, José Evaristo Luján-jiménez, Sara Galiano-Rus, Luis Gutiérrez-Rojas
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology April 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/2045125316675578 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Female patient with treatment-resistant depressive bipolar episode and chronic suicidal behavior |
| Intervention | Intravenous ketamine infusions |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Antidepressive agents Bipolar disorder Suicide |
| Citations | 27 |
| Key findings | Ketamine infusions led to complete clinical recovery for four weeks, but depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior returned in the fifth week. |
Abstract
The rapidly-acting antidepressant properties of ketamine are a trend topic in psychiatry. Despite its robust effects, these are ephemeral and can lead to certain adverse events. For this reason, there is still a general concern around the off-label use of ketamine in clinical practice settings. Nonetheless, for refractory depression, it should be an indication to consider. We report the case of a female patient admitted for several months due to a treatment-resistant depressive bipolar episode with chronic suicidal behaviour. After repeated intravenous ketamine infusions without remarkable side effects, the patient experienced a complete clinical recovery during the 4 weeks following hospital discharge. Unfortunately, depressive symptoms reappeared in the 5th week, and the patient was finally readmitted to hospital as a result of a suicide attempt.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ketamine for depression, most cited first.