Advancing ketamine in the treatment hierarchy for refractory depression.
Kabir Nigam, Franklin King, Fernando Espí Forcén
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science October 25, 2024 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2024.217 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with refractory depression |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Topics | Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Antidepressants Depressive disorders General adult psychiatry Psychopharmacology Quality of life Ketamine therapy Depression treatment Psychiatric medicine Antidepressant medications Mental health interventions |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Ketamine is highly effective, better tolerated, and has a lower side effect profile compared to many augmentation strategies for refractory depression, and earlier intervention may improve outcomes. |
Abstract
Evidence indicates that ketamine is highly effective, has a lower side effect profile and is better tolerated compared to many augmentation strategies for refractory depression. This, combined with data on psychiatric treatment outcome mediators, suggests that earlier intervention with ketamine could improve outcomes for patients suffering from refractory depression.