Ketamine Infusion

Ketamine Infusion Therapy

Ketamine is FDA-approved for anesthesia and sedation during procedures medical procedures. Since its approval in 1970, it has been widely used in operating rooms and emergency departments. A prescription version of ketamine administered through a nasal spray was approved in 2019 by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression, however, approval for infusion therapy for the treatment of depression, anxiety, chronic pain , OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or drug abuse or alcohol is off-label and has not been approved by the FDA.

Ketamine infusion therapy is still being studied, but research shows that it has a high success rate when it comes to treating persistent depression, Persistent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic pain and debilitating anxiety. The rate of effectiveness makes infusion therapy of ketamine be helpful for people who have not been able to achieve lasting relief through traditional medical solutions. Check out our Ketamine Clinic in Fort Lauderdale.

HOW IT WORKS:

Ketamine infusions stimulate beneficial brain changes, such as an increase in glutamate that helps strengthen and restore vital neural connections and pathways in regions of the brain that are most affected by depression.

Ketamine is also used to treat several chronic pain syndromes, especially those that have a neuropathic component. Ketamine in low doses produces strong analgesia in states of neuropathic pain, presumably due to inhibition of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, although other mechanisms may be involved, including enhancement of downstream inhibition, and anti-inflammatory effects at central sites. Several studies have shown a powerful analgesia during administration, while other studies show long-term analgesic effects up to 3 months after infusion. Check out our ketamine clinic’s Fort Lauderdale location.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS:

After a complete evaluation and review of your medical history, you as an eligible patient, will receive the treatment. An  intravenous (IV)  line will be started in one limb (arm, hand) so you may receive the ketamine infusion.  Your blood  pressure,  heart rate,  and  oxygen saturation. They will be monitored throughout  the infusion procedure under the supervision of  the doctor. He or she will administer a subanesthetic dose of ketamine,  slowly and continuously. The duration of the Infusion ranges from 40 to 55 minutes for depression, and 2 to 4 hours for chronic pain.

Depending on your response to this first infusion, we may increase the dose incrementally with their  subsequent infusions to maximize their response. We will also often adjust the infusion rate  during each treatment, depending on how you are responding, to maximize effectiveness.    Adjuvant medications may also be administered if needed, such as  anti-nausea  medications  or  mild sedatives for agitation.