Journal of Developing Drugs
Open Access

What is old is new again- Ketamine

International Conference and Exhibition on Pharmaceutical Development and Technology

April 24-26, 2017 Dubai, UAE

Randall J Bjork

Lotus Health Centennial, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Develop Drugs Res

Abstract :

Ketamine is a non-competitive glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and is commonly used as an anesthetic agent. The use of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic anxiety and pain syndromes, however, is becoming more widespread as reports are appearing about the astonishing efficacy of a single infusion. A week or more of improvement of symptoms will be seen in the majority of patients with treatment-resistant depression, for example, after only a single infusion. 80% of patients may have weeks to months of benefit after 4-6 infusions. Although hallucinogenic in higher doses, the therapeutic dosage (0.5 mg/kg intravenously) is very safe and well-tolerated, with expected dissociative sedation, drowsiness, unsteadiness and dysmnesia, which are transient and managed by expectant observation. Refinement of this therapy may yield a new generation of very specific, rapidly acting antidepressants.

Biography :

Email: rjbtopdown@aol.com