Exploring the potential of a bridge therapy: Synergistic approach integrating intravenous ketamine and intranasal esketamine for treatment‐resistant depression
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica September 8, 2023 G. D’andrea, M. Pettorruso, T. Rhee et al. 8 citations
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) often requires rapid symptom relief. Intravenous ketamine (KET-IV) and intranasal esketamine (ESK-NS) are glutamatergic agents that show rapid antidepressant effects, with KET-IV acting faster and ESK-NS providing long-term maintenance. The authors propose a "ketamine/esketamine bridge therapy" for further testing, modeled on a strategy from internal medicine: KET-IV would induce rapid effects, then patients would transition to ESK-NS for sustained benefit. This approach aims to address the limited accessibility of intravenous ketamine and leverage the scalability of the intranasal formulation, potentially benefiting patients with acute depression or suicidal ideation.