Biological Perspectives: Ketamine as an Alternative Treatment for Treatment-Resistant Depression Biological Perspectives: Ketamine as an Alternative Treatment for Treatment-Resistant Depression

摘要

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a significant healthcare issue, with approximately 10% of Americans suffering from it in any given year (Anand & Mathew, 2011). Anand and Mathew (2011) succinctly capture the enormity of the problem, indicating it is second only to ischemic heart disease as a health burden on the economy. When considered with less'debilitating variants of this apathy-inducing condition, the total worldwide expenditure for depression-fighting medicines amounts to a staggering $20.4 billion/year. Not surprisingly, antidepressants rank #9 in top global therapeutic classes of drugs (IMS Health Midas, 2011) and they are among the top three medications prescribed for on-therapy patients who received dispensed prescriptions in prior months (IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, 2012). These "lost" monies, when added to diminished productivity, failed relationships, and other downstream consequences, deliver a devastating blow to our national fabric.