Esketamine Program Offers New Option for Treatment-resistant Depression


Mather Hospital rolls out new therapy for depression. | Mather Hospital

Individuals suffering from depression that haven’t responded to other treatments may be eligible for an esketamine program at Northwell’s Mather Hospital. 

SPRAVATO™ (esketamine) is a nasal spray medication specifically designed for adults with treatment-resistant depression. It is administered under medical supervision at the Infusion Center on the Mather Hospital campus. Esketamine can provide relief when other antidepressant therapies have been unsuccessful.

CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, with a special focus on how nearly 400,000 adults in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., responded to a question about whether they had ever been diagnosed with a depressive disorder by a doctor, nurse or other health professional.

In New York, 16.8 percent of adults reported being diagnosed with depression. The report showed that about 14 percent of adults in Nassau County and 16 percent in Suffolk reported that they had been diagnosed at some point in their life.

"Esketamine is a new psychiatric medication that targets depression through a novel pathway of NMDA antagonism (substances that inhibit the function of NMDA receptors),” said psychiatrist George Lasker, MD, PhD. “It works differently than oral antidepressants which typically target serotonin, norepinephrine and/or dopamine. It is fast-acting, and our treatments significantly reduce depressive symptoms in a short period of time. Esketamine can be life-changing for patients with treatment-resistant symptoms."

You may be a candidate for esketamine if:

  • You have depression that hasn’t improved with other treatments.
  • You are currently under the care of a psychiatrist.
  • Your psychiatrist refers you to our program.
  • You meet the criteria for treatment following a pre-screening evaluation.
The initial phase of the program involves twice-weekly treatments for four weeks, followed by a maintenance phase of weekly or bi-weekly treatments adjusted to your individual needs. Each session lasts approximately two hours, allowing ample time for administration and monitoring. Each person is closely monitored by an experienced medical team throughout each treatment session.

Learn more about Mather Hospital’s esketamine program.

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