Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2024 Oct;31(2):15-19. 10.22857/kjbp.2024.31.2.001.

Clinical Application of Esketamine in Depression: A Narrative Review

• Choi BS
• Lee HY

• KMID: 2561298
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22857/kjbp.2024.31.2.001

Abstract

Mood disorders are a major cause of morbidity. Many patients experience treatment-resistant depression, and suicide rates are on the rise. There is a critical need for faster-acting and more effective antidepressants. After decades of research, esketamine, initially used as an anesthetic, has begun to be used as an outpatient treatment for major depressive disorder. Esketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, directly targets the glutamate system, rapidly improving mood symptoms and reducing suicidal ideation. Esketamine has demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms more quickly than traditional oral antidepressant monotherapy, with a favorable risk-benefit profile. Reported side effects include sedation, dizziness, dissociative reactions, and increased blood pressure, though these effects are generally limited to the monitoring period of approximately two hours following administration.

Keyword

Esketamine; Major depressive disorder; Treatment-resistant depression; Suicide