Breakthrough Treatment for Suicidal Thoughts Begins Ketamine Clinic in Nagoya Anesthesia

2023.11.30 10:00

Nagoya Anesthesia Clinic

Many studies and clinical reports have shown that intravenous narcotic (ketamine) therapy is very effective for patients with suicidal ideation. For this reason, Nagoya Anesthesiology Clinic (located in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture) will add suicidal ideation to its list of indications from December 2023, and based on our experience and achievements with ketamine therapy, we will address social problems by relieving patients from their suffering.

Why don't you free yourself from the suffering?

Nagoya Anesthesia Clinic ( https://nagoyamasui.com/ ) has provided ketamine infusion therapy for depression, OCD, and PTSD. Our Ketamine Clinic has now expanded the indications for ketamine therapy to include ketamine treatment for suicidal ideation. Our clinic started 15 years ago as an anesthesiology (pain clinic) and psychosomatic medicine clinic with a strong desire to reduce people's pain and suffering in life. Since then, we have continued to consider where the problems lie and what we can do to solve them, as well as the various forms of suffering that have spread throughout society. We have been providing ketamine therapy since the beginning and have administered more than 1,300 infusions of ketamine. We also offer original ketamine therapies that are not available anywhere else, including overseas, such as ketamine therapy with cervical epidural block (over 300 cases) and ketamine therapy with hypnotherapy. In addition to ketamine therapy, Nagoya Anesthesia Clinic also offers echo-guided Botox treatment for stiff shoulders and echo-guided PRP treatment for tennis elbow.

Suicidal ideation and ketamine therapy

In 2022, 21,881 Japanese people died by suicide, and there is a growing consensus that suicide is a "preventable death" that can be avoided through the efforts of society, with the WHO stating that "suicide is a social problem, much of which can be prevented. In addition to its effects on depressed patients, ketamine has been reported in many studies to help patients with acute suicidal ideation. Some of these are excerpted below.

(1) In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in the BMJ (2022), ketamine showed benefit in the acute treatment of intense suicidal ideation. More participants in the ketamine group achieved complete remission of suicidal ideation on day 3 than those in the placebo group, with limited side effects, and the study also confirmed its effectiveness in alleviating psychological distress. This study demonstrates that ketamine is rapid, safe, and has lasting benefits for the acute treatment of patients with suicidal ideation.

Changes in Suicidal Ideation with Ketamine

(2) A study in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2022) showed the effect of ketamine on treatment-resistant depression and suicidal ideation. Significant progress was made in the treatment of patients' depressive symptoms, with response rates of 50% and remission rates of 20%. Treatment included a series of ketamine infusions, and 85% of patients with suicidal ideation were completely resolved after 15 infusions.

(3) A study in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2021) showed that a single infusion of ketamine reduced depressive symptoms and rapidly reduced suicidal ideation in patients with suicidal ideation. This effect was also associated with improved cognitive function, confirming its safety. The researchers concluded that ketamine effectively improves neurocognitive performance and reduces suicidal ideation.

The study also stated that "the ability to think more clearly may reduce suicidal ideation."

[About Ketamine, its dangers, and its dependence

Ketamine is a widely used general anesthetic with a history of over 50 years and has recently been used to treat psychiatric disorders and chronic pain. Unlike traditional medications, which take time to relieve symptoms, ketamine provides rapid relief within hours to up to three weeks after administration. Furthermore, it has been shown to be a promising treatment with few long-term side effects.

Ketamine has been designated as a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law in Japan since 2007, and its abuse has become a problem. Known for a time as "K" or "Special K," it was also distributed in clubs due to its hallucinogenic properties.

Abusers using ketamine for an average of 20 days/month or more show increased depression and memory loss, while low-frequency users and past users show no difference.

Although ketamine can be addictive, it has been used safely in medical procedures and surgery with little potential for addiction in professionally monitored injection settings. The potential for ketamine dependence is considered lower than that of nicotine or alcohol, and even lower than that of medical narcotics such as morphine.

To prevent addiction, it is important that low doses of ketamine be injected slowly and under the supervision of a health care provider in a monitored, safe environment. When used as part of the treatment of mental illness, ketamine is considered non-addictive and patient safety is ensured.

Do you know about ketamine infusion?

[About the indications for ketamine therapy].

Beyond its traditional clinical use as an anesthetic, ketamine is increasingly showing positive results in the treatment of other conditions.

A. There is substantial research and clinical data indicating that ketamine is highly effective for

∙ Depression

∙ Suicidal ideation

Severe PTSD

B. There are numerous research articles and clinical data showing that ketamine is effective for

Severe anxiety disorders

Severe bipolar disorder

Drug addiction rehabilitation

Neuropathic pain

CRPS or RSD

Cancer pain syndrome

Phantom pain

C. There is ample clinical evidence, but few research articles indicating that ketamine appears to be effective in relieving the worst symptoms of

Fibromyalgia

Trigeminal neuralgia

Severe OCD

Postherpetic neuralgia

Diabetic neuropathy

Central pain syndrome related to stroke or trauma

Chronic migraine

D. Limited publications and clinical experience indicating that ketamine may be effective in reducing symptoms.

Chronic Lyme pain

Chronic pelvic pain

Spinal cord injury pain

Multiple sclerosis pain

Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, etc.)

∙ Intermittent explosive disorder, impulsivity and irritability

・Rhett syndrome

Social anxiety disorder

∙ Social and depressive symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (may also increase verbalization and decrease addictive and resistive behaviors)

∙ Depression and memory loss in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease

∙ Some forms of hearing loss and tinnitus

The list of things that ketamine therapy is good for, or potentially good for, is astounding. Ketamine therapy has a unique effect on the nervous system and can benefit many diseases. Researchers and clinicians are trying to determine the best use and most appropriate protocols for this drug for a variety of indications. With numerous past ketamine treatment experiences and properly trained physicians, as well as a thorough knowledge of this drug in its use, you can rest assured that you are in good hands.

About Ketamine Clinic.

Nagoya Anesthesiology Clinic offers a ketamine clinic based on its extensive experience and knowledge of ketamine infusion for various pain and psychiatric disorders. Ketamine infusion can first be given as an intensive treatment up to six times in two to three weeks, and we recommend that patients try ketamine infusion at least three times, because even if it does not work the first time, it often works the second or third time. After the initial intensive treatment, maintenance therapy can be given once a month. It is known to have fewer long-term side effects when continued.

Nagoya Anesthesia Clinic has expanded the indication for anxiety disorders in our ketamine therapy effective December 2023. The goal is to provide innovative treatment to patients who are in dire need of treatment. The clinic will draw on its extensive experience with ketamine infusions to support patients suffering from treatment-resistant symptoms with an innovative, evidence-based approach.