For many people living with depression, standard antidepressant medications provide meaningful relief. But for others, symptoms can continue to plague you even after trying several treatments. When depression does not respond to traditional medications, it is called treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In recent years, a newer option, FDA-approved SPRAVATO® (esketamine), has offered hope when you have struggled to find effective relief.
SPRAVATO received approval from the U.S. FDA in 2019 as the first nasal spray medication designed for adults with treatment-resistant depression when used alongside an oral antidepressant. This approval marked an important shift in how depression can be treated because SPRAVATO works differently from most traditional antidepressants.
Most antidepressants target chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine. SPRAVATO works through a different pathway by affecting your brain’s glutamate system, which plays a role in neural communication and mood regulation.
Because it acts on this pathway, SPRAVATO may begin improving symptoms more quickly than most traditional antidepressants. Instead of waiting weeks to notice changes, you may notice improvement in mood within days of starting treatment.
Clinical studies supporting FDA approval showed meaningful improvements for many individuals with treatment-resistant depression who were taking SPRAVATO with an oral antidepressant. They experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms compared with those receiving antidepressants alone.
The FDA approval was based on multiple clinical studies evaluating safety and effectiveness. Researchers found that the medication helped reduce depressive symptoms when you have already tried several antidepressant medications without adequate improvement.
Follow-up research also showed that continuing treatment could reduce the risk of relapse. Because of these findings, SPRAVATO is now recognized as an important option when you experience symptoms of treatment-resistant depression and if you are experiencing depressive symptoms with suicidal ideation.
SPRAVATO must be taken at a certified healthcare setting where trained providers can monitor your response. During your appointment, you take the medication as a nasal spray under medical supervision.
Afterward, you stay at our office for observation so we can monitor your blood pressure and overall response to the treatment. Most monitoring periods last about two hours.
This structured approach helps ensure your safety while allowing us to observe how your body responds to the medication.
SPRAVATO is one part of a broader approach we take to mental health care. We offer outpatient services that include psychopharmacology and medication management, allowing our providers to carefully evaluate and adjust medications as needed.
In addition to SPRAVATO therapy, we also offer transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), another non-medication treatment option used to address depression. By offering multiple evidence-based treatments, we tailor a plan to your needs.
Depression is not a one-size-fits-all condition, and treatment should reflect that reality. Some people benefit most from medication management, others from neuromodulation treatments like TMS, and some from innovative therapies such as SPRAVATO.
If depression has continued despite previous medications, newer therapies may offer another path forward. Advances in research and FDA-approved SPRAVATO treatments have expanded the options available to patients who once had very limited choices.
At The Nexus Group, your care begins with an individualized evaluation and a thoughtful treatment plan. During your appointment, we review your history, discuss available treatment options, and help determine whether SPRAVATO or another therapy may be appropriate for your needs.
With compassionate care and a range of evidence-based services, our goal is to help you achieve better mental health and greater stability.
