Overview of Ketamine Guidelines in Psychiatric Disorders
International Journal of Psychiatry September 26, 2025 Hesham Maged Mohamed Abdelfatah, Mahmoud Mohamed Gomaa
Ketamine, originally FDA-approved as an anesthetic, has been incorporated into the management of psychiatric disorders, particularly Major Depressive Disorder with suicidal ideation, and off-label for bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, and substance use disorders. Intravenous ketamine is not a first-line treatment; it is considered by the patient's interdisciplinary team after standard treatments fail. Its mechanism differs from existing treatments and has shown efficacy in improving major depression where conventional first-line management such as antidepressants and psychotherapy have not been fully effective. The paper discusses aspects of ketamine protocols and guidelines for psychiatric use.