Ketamine shows an excellent short term response rate when utilized as a series of treatments, especially when compared to traditional antidepressant response rates within the same time period (Zhang et al., 2015). This research seems to indicate that there are statistically significant response to ketamine as an anti-depressant for use in patients with depressive disorders (Lee, Della Selva, Liu and Himerlhoch, 2015), but there are several issues that restrict its use. The most prominent issue of this treatment is the relatively short lived nature of the therapeutic effect of ketamine on a majority of patients, with a small outlying group of patients that showed longer term benefit; often months long benefit (Murrough et al, 2013). This short
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Researchers point to the injection method of delivery as a barrier to self-treatment, oral administration maybe be a more convenient option, but because of the potential lethality of patient keeping this medication it is unlikely that this method could be used as well (Lee, Della Selva, Liu and Himelhoch, 2015). These barriers effectively limit the availability of this treatment to patients that actively seek out this method, or to in or outpatient administration under medical supervision. Even with these limitations, with further research the may be advances that allow treatment in environments more conducive to outpatient use. Despite these limitations the evidence of higher response rates and rapid onset support the supposition that for adult patients aged 18-65 with depressive disorders, the administration of ketamine therapy provides relief from depressive disorder symptoms in the short term better than traditional …show more content…
If these markers can be identified, it could raise the percentage of responders and overall efficacy of this type of treatment. Additionally there is a need to better understand the exact mechanism that ketamine has on the brain. Belujon and Grace (2014) state that understanding the effects of ketamine on the brain may lead to understanding on the specific components biochemistry that brain that produce depression. Further research is needed, but continues refinement of method will eventually show that ketamine could be an effective tool in benefiting those battling
Researchers point to the injection method of delivery as a barrier to self-treatment, oral administration maybe be a more convenient option, but because of the potential lethality of patient keeping this medication it is unlikely that this method could be used as well (Lee, Della Selva, Liu and Himelhoch, 2015). These barriers effectively limit the availability of this treatment to patients that actively seek out this method, or to in or outpatient administration under medical supervision. Even with these limitations, with further research the may be advances that allow treatment in environments more conducive to outpatient use. Despite these limitations the evidence of higher response rates and rapid onset support the supposition that for adult patients aged 18-65 with depressive disorders, the administration of ketamine therapy provides relief from depressive disorder symptoms in the short term better than traditional …show more content…
If these markers can be identified, it could raise the percentage of responders and overall efficacy of this type of treatment. Additionally there is a need to better understand the exact mechanism that ketamine has on the brain. Belujon and Grace (2014) state that understanding the effects of ketamine on the brain may lead to understanding on the specific components biochemistry that brain that produce depression. Further research is needed, but continues refinement of method will eventually show that ketamine could be an effective tool in benefiting those battling