title: A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies now provide evidence of ketamine hydrochloride's ability to produce rapid and robust antidepressant effects in patients with mood and anxiety disorders that were previously resistant to treatment. Despite the relatively small sample sizes, lack of longer-term data on efficacy, and limited data on safety provided by these studies, they have led to increased use of ketamine as an off-label treatment for mood and other psychiatric disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review and consensus statement provides a general overview of the data on the use of ketamine for the treatment of mood disorders and highlights the limitations of the existing knowledge. While ketamine may be beneficial to some patients with mood disorders, it is important to consider the limitations of the available data and the potential risk associated with the drug when considering the treatment option.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The suggestions provided are intended to facilitate clinical decision making and encourage an evidence-based approach to using ketamine in the treatment of psychiatric disorders considering the limited information that is currently available. This article provides information on potentially important issues related to the off-label treatment approach that should be considered to help ensure patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanacora
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Frye
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas5Department of Psychiatry, Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Sanjay J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Mason S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Alan F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Schatzberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Summergrad
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007649:Ketamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D056687:Off-Label Use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007649:Ketamine