State of the art Ketamine THerapy for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and addictions
Ketamine Treatment Overview
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a general anesthetic developed in the early 1960s and debut in 1970. It is one of the most widely used drugs in modern medicine, and is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines. Beyond its use as a general anesthetic, ketamine has a variety of medical roles.
Ketamine has a remarkably safe track record in numerous settings, such as in the emergency room where it is used both for general anesthesia, as well as minor procedures, also in pain clinics for CRPS and phantom limb syndromes. Most recently, it has been found especially beneficial in its ability to address major depression, anxiety, and PTSD. along with its role in the emergency room where it is commonly used to induce a significant level of anesthesia for procedures such as laceration and dislocation repair. This is a testament to the drug's safety.
Ketamine is also administered by the US military in conjunction with morphine for the purpose of decreasing the use of much more dangerous opiates. It is also used in veterinary medicine in much the same roles for which it is used humans.
Approximately a decade ago ketamine was discovered to be remarkably effective as an anti-depressant, which is in contrast to our most commonly used antidepressants, SSRI's. The current $10 billion per year industry from SSRIs, sees patients continue to suffer mental diseases that are arguably among the most painful and debilitating diseases known to man and which together currently afflict more than 70 million citizens.
Another observation provides a major insight on ketamine's effectiveness. Ketamine has been used as a vaccine to prevent depression, anxiety and PTSD. Seen first during a major aircraft carrier fire where 80 sailors suffered 3rd degree burns and half of them were given ketamine; the ketamine group half had a much lower incidence of PTSD. And that effect has been duplicated, suggesting that motor vehicle accidents, rape, assault, even divorce might benefit from "ketamine foresight."
The biggest thing to watch for with ketamine treatment is mobility. This is a point made often, underlining that ketamine does have a few negative effects. You will be somewhat psychologically impaired on ketamine. You may be unstable on your feet, but the overall side-effects are minimal.
How Does Ketamine Therapy Work?
Ketamine has many mechanisms of action and anesthetic properties for which it was developed that have been shown to be very different from the antidepressant effects which derive from partially understood pathways which are currently undergoing new and intense scrutiny. NMDA receptors account for the psychedelic and anesthetic effects while the antidepressant component is associated with other pathways, AMPA and mTOR being the two mentioned most commonly and targeted most often for future study.
How Soon Will I Notice Improvement?
Many patients feel better during the treatment itself. Others notice a marked improvement in mood or pain levels within a day of treatment. This is in marked contrast to other antidepressants which may take months to see effects and be properly evaluated. This early response that can be predictive of future outcomes is unique in the world of depression treatment, and is highly valuable.