KETAMINE TREATMENT INFORMATION SHEET
Indications

Ketamine is a schedule III FDA-approved medication for anesthesia. At lower doses, ketamine can be used off-label for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, but it is not FDA-approved for this indication. Treatment-resistant depression means a patient has failed 2 adequate trials of 2 different FDA-approved antidepressant medications.
Ketamine may improve PTSD and depressive symptoms including sadness, suicidality, and helplessness.
Ketamine alters a chemical called glutamate by blocking NDMA receptors in the brain and may produce a more rapid effect compared with usual antidepressant/anti-anxiety medications that work on serotonin, dopamine, or norepinephrine.
Patients should start to receive benefits from a single dose within 30-90 minutes. This is unique because most other antidepressants require 4-6 weeks before taking full effect.
The duration is specific to each patient, but most patients have an effect that lasts 3-7 days from a single first dose, and subsequent doses can provide even longer relief.
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Procedure

Ketamine is weight based at 0.5mg/kg; higher doses are associated with more side-effects.
The injection is given as an intramuscular (IM) injection into the deltoid muscle (upper arm). This administration has fewer adverse effects as compared to IV administration, but is more effective than intra-nasal and sublingual forms.
You will be periodically observed for 1-2 hours, monitoring your cognitive function and vital signs.
You will need to pre-arrange a ride home; Uber, Lyft, family-member, or friend are all acceptable.

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