Esketamine Nasal Spray for the Rapid Reduction of Depressive Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder With Acute Suicidal Ideation or Behavior

Individuals with major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation are particularly vulnerable and may not respond as well to standard treatment as patients without suicidal ideation. In this author podcast, Dr. Dong-Jing Fu and Dr. Carla Canuso discuss the results of a pooled analysis of data from the ASPIRE studies, randomized placebo-controlled trials of esketamine, plus comprehensive standard-of-care treatment. The results, published in the September-October 2021 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, suggest that esketamine can provide rapid relief of depressive symptoms in patients with MDD and acute suicidal ideation or behavior, especially in those with a history of prior suicide attempt.