A Comparison of the Efficacy and Adverse Effects of Ketamine and Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Management of Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Systematic Review.
Cureus March 1, 2024 Shaan I Chaudhri, Amina Amin, Binay K Panjiyar et al. 2 citations
Ketamine is an effective treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but whether it is as good as or better than electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains unclear. Ketamine works faster than ECT, but its antidepressant effects do not last as long. ECT leads to higher remission rates over extended periods, while ketamine causes fewer cognitive side effects like memory loss. Existing studies vary in quality, often have small sample sizes, and may be biased. More high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed before concluding that ketamine should replace ECT for TRD.