By Dr. Nalin Ranasinghe & Dr. Ritesh Amin
Many mental health concerns such as depression and other mental health conditions are affecting a large number of individuals in society today. Depression affects roughly 21 million Americans and about 280 million individuals worldwide. About a third of these individuals would meet the criteria for treatment-resistant depression. The medical profession is starting to prioritize these conditions and offering patients options for treatment of the various conditions that affect them.
The Johnson and Johnson pharmaceutical company has developed a medication called Esketamine. Esketamine is administered in a spray that is called Spravato. Spravato is FDA-approved to treat depression. The current theory is that Spravato treats depression by blocking receptors in the brain which are classified as N-methyl-D-aspartate or NMDA receptors. Blocking these receptors causes the release of glutamate, which is a regulatory neurotransmitter that can affect mood. This treatment has been known to have some side effects such as nausea, dizziness, sedation, dissociation, and an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, it should only be administered in a medical office with monitoring and under the supervision of a psychiatrist or physician.
Spravato has been shown to be effective in treating individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Although it was initially recommended that Esketamine be used together with other antidepressant medications, the FDA has recently approved the Esketamine nasal spray Spravato to be used as a monotherapy or by itself for treatment-resistant depression.
For any further questions regarding Spravato or related to any treatment of treatment-resistant depression, call Providence Medical & Infusion Center at 855-535-1252.
Providence Medical & Infusion Center
571 Central Ave., Suite 104A
New Providence, NJ
providencemedandinfusion.com
