The effect of a single dose of intravenous ketamine on suicidal ideation: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis
American Journal of Psychiatry October 3, 2017 S. Wilkinson, Elizabeth D. Ballard, M. Bloch et al. 680 citations
A single dose of ketamine rapidly reduces suicidal thoughts within one day and for up to one week in depressed patients with suicidal ideation. The effect is moderate to large and partially independent of changes in depressive symptoms. The analysis combined data from 167 participants across 10 studies comparing ketamine to a placebo (saline or midazolam). Ketamine significantly improved clinician-rated and self-reported suicidal ideation, though not on one self-report measure (the Beck Depression Inventory). The authors call for further research on long-term safety and suicide risk reduction before clinical use.