New Data Indicates Ketamine Is At Least As Effective If Not MORE So Than Electroconvulsive Therapy

The imagery surrounding the use of ECT in the movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” really did a disservice to a therapeutic still in use today for patients with severe depression and other mental health illnesses. Despite that, it continues to prove effective for some patients, though side effects, such as confusion, amnesia, and memory loss, can limit use.

Memory loss can be lasting for some patients, with up to 55% experiencing memory loss for at least six months beyond the conclusion of therapy. In addition, getting ECT involves some more complicated steps, including the need for general anesthesia, like what is used in an operating room during surgery.

Enter ketamine: an alternative treatment with data now supporting its use in those with depression refractory to standard therapies with similar if not even better efficacy! Better yet, the experience is much more pleasant with no impact on cognition and memory. Once the therapy is complete, you go on about your day.

At Ketamine Health and Wellness Clinics of Ohio, we believe in following the data. There is no one therapy that will be right for all patients, but any therapy provided should have sound scientific evidence. Ketamine has that, and the data is continuing to prove this time and time again.

In the June edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, the results of an open-label, randomized, non-inferiority trial looking at ECT versus ketamine once again proved ketamine’s efficacy. For those not in the medical field, the New England Journal of Medicine is top notch and premier to get an article published in – it’s a big deal The trial design was also near perfect, looking to see if ketamine was as effective as ECT.

What was most interesting is that not only was ketamine effective, but it was MORE effective than ECT. While the authors could not comment directly on the latter because of the trial design, the data speaks truth here. Of the patients enrolled in the trial, 55.4% of patients in the ketamine group achieved the desired response versus 41.2% in the ECT group

To qualify for ECT, you have to be the sickest of the sick, and in this trial ketamine was even better than ECT at improving the outcome for the patients involved. Moreover, as we discussed above, side effects of ECT reported include a decrease in memory recall after 3 weeks of treatment, mental fogging and musculoskeletal pain.

Ketamine, on the other hand, had minimal side effects other than for mild dissociation which resolved after treatment. The results of this trial are astounding, and the psychiatry forums are buzzing about the results. We are proud to be pioneers in providing ketamine as a novel treatment for our patients, and we continue to be supported by scientific evidence.

We would love the opportunity to discuss the data of the trial with you if you are someone who is looking for relief. We do not need to just believe in what we are doing – we know, with scientific backing, that we can offer you the help you need. We look forward to serving you!

For those looking to read the full article:

Ketamine versus ECT for Nonpsychotic Treatment-Resistant Major Depression | NEJM

Reference:

Anand A, Matthew SJ, Sanacora G, et al. Ketamine versus ECT for Nonpsychotic Treatment-Resistant Major Depression. N Engl J Med. 2023 May 24. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2302399