Journal of Developing Drugs
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-6631
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2329-6631
+44 1478 350008
Randall J Bjork
Lotus Health Centennial, USA
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Develop Drugs Res
Ketamine is a non-competitive glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and is commonly used as an anesthetic agent. The use of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic anxiety and pain syndromes, however, is becoming more widespread as reports are appearing about the astonishing efficacy of a single infusion. A week or more of improvement of symptoms will be seen in the majority of patients with treatment-resistant depression, for example, after only a single infusion. 80% of patients may have weeks to months of benefit after 4-6 infusions. Although hallucinogenic in higher doses, the therapeutic dosage (0.5 mg/kg intravenously) is very safe and well-tolerated, with expected dissociative sedation, drowsiness, unsteadiness and dysmnesia, which are transient and managed by expectant observation. Refinement of this therapy may yield a new generation of very specific, rapidly acting antidepressants.
Email: rjbtopdown@aol.com