At Harbor Psychiatry & Mental Health, you have access to the latest and most effective treatments for depression. One such treatment is Spravato ( a nasal spray for depression).
What is Spravato?
Spravato is a prescription nasal spray approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in adults with either treatment-resistant depression or depression with active suicidal ideation or behavior.
Who is a good candidate for Spravato?
To determine if you are a good candidate for Spravato, you need to answer yes to two questions:
1. Are you taking an antidepressant?
2. Do you have either depression with suicidal thoughts/behavior or treatment-resistant depression?
Note, that treatment-resistant depression refers to depression that has not responded adequately to standard therapy—typically two trials of antidepressants. Of course, if you have been depressed for a long time, you have probably already tried at least two medications. Here are some examples from different classes of antidepressants:
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), and paroxetine (Paxil).
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): duloxetine (Cymbalta), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), venlafaxine (Effexor), and levomilnacipran (Fetzima).
• Tricyclic antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and desipramine (Norpramin).
• Atypical antidepressants: bupropion (Wellbutrin) and mirtazapine (Remeron).
Who is not a good candidate for Spravato?
You may not be a good candidate for Spravato if you have certain medical conditions, including certain blood vessel diseases, vascular anomalies, history of intracerebral hemorrhage, or hypersensitivity to esketamine/ketamine. Furthermore, before taking Spravato, make sure to tell your doctor if you have a history of psychosis; are pregnant/breastfeeding or planning to in the future; or have serious heart, brain, or liver problems. Using the above information, your doctor will determine if this medicine is right for you.
Why Spravato?
Many people with severe or suicidal depression have already tried various medications with limited success and feel hopeless about ever getting better. So why try Spravato? Because research has repeatedly found that Spravato is a very effective treatment. And it has been shown to improve depression quickly. To illustrate, according to a 2021 review of research on nearly 1,500 patients, Spravato shows rapid and robust antidepressant effects in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. In addition, it has rapid anti-suicidal effects in those with depression with suicidal ideation.
How to receive Spravato treatment?
Because Spravato is a controlled substance, it can only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider and at certified treatment centers, such as Harbor Psychiatry & Mental Health.
So, if you have severe or chronic depression, come in for an evaluation to see if Spravato is right for you.
Call us today to learn about our holistic approach to mental health, an approach that aims to nurture both the mind and the heart.
References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8077059
2. https://europepmc.org/article/NBK/nbk558911
3. https://www.spravato.com
