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Published on: January 7, 2019
Next-Step Treatment Considerations for Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression That Responds to Low-Dose
William V Bobo1, Patricio Riva-Posse1, Fernando S Goes1
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida (Bobo); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta (Riva-Posse); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goes); Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Parikh).
Abstract:
Numerous short-term randomized trials support the acute-phase efficacy of low-dose intravenous (IV) ketamine for patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression. Ketamine's antidepressive effects generally have limited duration, highlighting the need for maintenance treatment after an acute-phase response. It is increasingly likely that psychiatrists will be called upon to manage the care of patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression who have responded acutely to ketamine and to recommend or initiate next-step treatments. However, there is a paucity of controlled evidence to guide best practices for managing treatment of patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression who have had a positive initial response to ketamine. This article reviews the available evidence supporting specific strategies for extending and maintaining acute antidepressive responses to low-dose IV ketamine in patients with treatment-resistant unipolar or bipolar depression and provides some preliminary considerations for clinical practice.
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