Is Ketamine addictive used to treat depression?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering the possibility of allowing the use of Ketamine (a potentially addictive compound) to treat depression.

It is said that Ketamine is a "breakthrough therapy" , which provides a psychiatrist a new way to treat suicidal patients. This is considered the latest treatment for depression in the past 50 years.

Ketamine can cause people to become paralyzed quickly.

According to CNN, Ketamine is a hallucinogenic drug (Special K) that has been circulating since the 1960s. It was approved by the FDA for use in 1970. Soon after, military doctors used it. Ketamine as a sedative and analgesic for American soldiers during the war. Today, ketamine is also used for anesthesia in the veterinary field.

However, Ketamine is dangerous in that it can quickly paralyze people so criminals such as rape, robbery . also use it to prevent the victim's resistance.

Dr. Julie Coffman - an independent researcher who has no connection with pharmaceutical companies - said Ketamine also works to repair damaged nerves causing depression.

Dan Iosifescu - Dr., Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Icahn Medical School, says that Ketamine repeats the neuroplastic process (the process of creating new connections between brain cells). And the effects of Ketamine happen quickly in a few hours or days instead of weeks (even months) for other depression medications.

Dr Coffman also said that in one report she used a single dose of Ketamine for a depressed patient. This person had previously not responded to any antidepressant during treatment. And Coffman found that with just one dose of Ketamine, the patient greatly improved his anxiety.

Ketamine should only be used for patients who show signs of severe depression.

This drug is thought to last 30 days and is effective about 4 hours after use. However, the scientist also revealed that Ketamine may increase blood pressure and react to some other drugs. Therefore, if approved for use by FDA, the patient must have a doctor's supervision when taking Ketamine (at least 2 hours after taking the medication).

Previous studies have also shown that Ketamine should only be used for patients with severe signs of depression . The drug can be well absorbed through intravenous, nasal or subcutaneous (according to Guardian).

Currently, Janssen is conducting clinical trials of Ketamine for two subjects: patients who do not respond to other depression medications and those at high risk of suicide (due to depression). The company is expected to report the results to the FDA in 2018.