Methods for treating suicidal ideation
Methods and compositions for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression are described. More specifically, the invention demonstrates that intranasal administration of ketamine is effective to ameliorate the symptoms of depression in a patient who has not responded to an adequate trial of one antidepressant in the current episode and has recurrent or chronic depressive symptoms (>2 years).
1. A method of treating recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts, consisting of intranasally administering to a patient who suffers from at least one of said recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts a composition consisting of ketamine at a dosage sufficient to alleviate said recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts are alleviated within 2 hours intranasal administration of said ketamine.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a single intranasal administration of said ketamine is sufficient to alleviate said recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts for 7 days.
4. A method of treating recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts which consists of intranasally administering to a patient who suffers from at least one of said recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts a composition containing a first component consisting of ketamine at a dosage sufficient to alleviate said recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts and a second component comprising at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
5. The method of claim 4 which comprises instranasal administration of multiple doses of said composition.
6. The method of claim 4 which comprises instranasal administration of a single doses of said composition.
7. The method of claim 4 which comprises instranasal administering said ketamine at a doses of between about 0.1 mg/kg per day to about 3.0 mg/kg/day.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts are alleviated within 2 hours intranasal administration of said ketamine.
9. The method of claim 4 , wherein a single intranasal administration of said ketamine is sufficient to alleviate said recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts for 7 days.