Facts and myths about use of esketamine for treatment-resistant depression: a narrative clinical review.
Frontiers in psychiatry January 1, 2024 Matteo Di Vincenzo, Vassilis Martiadis, Bianca Della Rocca et al. 31 citations
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is defined as failing at least two adequate antidepressant trials. Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, has been approved for TRD by the U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency, but misconceptions about it persist among clinicians and patients. This review searched databases for keywords including "esketamine" and "myth" to identify false beliefs. Common myths included misunderstandings about TRD prevalence, clinical features, and predictors, as well as esketamine's treatment criteria, dissociative symptoms, addiction potential, and administration. Evidence-based facts counter these myths, showing esketamine is effective for TRD with necessary precautions, and accurate diagnosis is key to recovery.