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Spravato for Depression: The Best Treatment Option

Aug 23, 2022
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Depression is a mental illness that plagues many people in the United States and worldwide. While many treatments are available, including therapy and medication, many people do not respond well to traditional treatments.

Spravato for Depression: The Best Treatment Option

Spravato: a new and different way to treat depression

For those suffering from debilitation treatment resistant depression or major depressive disorder, a new treatment may provide new hope. Axis Integrated Mental Health is a leading psychiatric practice delivering Spravato for depression treatment in Denver and Westminster, Colorado. While many treatments are available, including therapy and medication, many people do not respond well to traditional treatments. Spravato is a drug specifically designed to treat depression and has been shown to be effective in many people. If you are suffering from depression and have not found relief from other treatments, Spravato may be your best option.

What is treatment-resistant depression?

TRD, or treatment-resistant depression (TRD), refers to a group of patients who have not responded to two or more antidepressants.

If you’ve tried two or more antidepressants and are still struggling with depressive symptoms, talk to your doctor to see if you may have treatment-resistant depression.

Spravato for depression is a new kind of treatment. It works differently than most other antidepressants and is covered by most major insurances. Healthcare providers may define the term “treatment-resistant depression” differently. Most insurance companies consider a patient to have TRD if they have tried two or more oral antidepressants of adequate dose and duration without significant recovery from the current depressive episode.

How long does it take for esketamine to work? Esketamine reaches peak concentrations in the body in between 20 and 40 minutes. It works much more rapidly than traditional antidepressants and is preferred for use in someone experiencing an acute major depressive episode or even thoughts of self-harm. It also does not come with the side-effects of traditional antidepressants such as sexual dysfunction or weight gain.

SPRAVATO® Dosing for Treatment-Resistant Depression

After you and your healthcare provider have decided if this medication is right for you – and you understand the benefits and risks of SPRAVATO® – you’ll be ready to start planning for treatment.

  • It is taken with an oral antidepressant
  • You administer this nasal spray yourself under the supervision of a healthcare provider at a certified SPRAVATO® treatment center
  • This medication is taken twice a week for the first four weeks
  • After the first four weeks, the medication is taken once a week for a month
  • After this, the medication is usually taken either once a week or once every two weeks

How do oral antidepressants work?

Today’s most commonly used oral antidepressants are thought to treat depression by increasing levels of neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine) in areas of the brain that affect mood. Which indirectly helps increase neuroplasticity or the brain’s ability to grow and heal.

How is Spravato different?

SPRAVATO® targets the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and is believed to work differently than currently available oral antidepressants. By working at the NMDA receptors, this medication is able to rapidly increase neuroplasticity and help the brain heal from years of depression.al.

DOWNLOADABLE PATIENT BROCHURE

Treatment-resistant depression, or TRD, is a term used to describe people with depression who do not respond to two or more antidepressant medications. Up to 40 percent of people with depression may be considered treatment-resistant. SPRAVATO®, recently approved by the FDA as the first and only rapid-acting antidepressant, offers new hope for these patients. In clinical trials, nearly half of all participants taking this medication experienced remission of their depressive symptoms within two hours after receiving their first dose. If you are struggling with Treatment Resistant Depression, please contact us for help. Our team of experts can assess your situation and determine if SPRAVATO® is right for you. Call us today!  720-802-0609.


More information:

Efficacy and safety

General info

SPRAVATO® website