Medication management & Spravato (esketamine)
Psychiatric Medication Management (Prescription, Refill & Medication Review)
We are now accepting new patients into our medication management program!
Patients will be seen in-person at our Kirkland, NW Portland, Salem, Tigard locations. Our medication management program focuses on depression and anxiety only. We are not accepting ADHD patients.
At Active Path Mental Health, patients will be paired with a psychiatrict provider to help get their depression and/or anxiety under control using traditional front-line treatments such as medication management or specialty treatments like TMS or Spravato.
It’s important to properly manage your depression and anxiety medication to maximize its effects and reduce the risk of harmful reactions as much as possible.
Proper medication management includes:
- Taking the correct doses.
- Sticking to a regular dose schedule.
- Not mixing it with other medications that could impact its effectiveness.
- Reporting side effects to your provider.
To start the process, schedule a free consultation today.
Spravato: Another option for Treatment-resistant depression
What is Spravato?
Spravato, or esketamine, is a type of ketamine that’s used to treat depression symptoms. It was approved by the FDA in 2019 and comes in the form of a nasal spray. It’s meant to be taken alongside an oral antidepressant. Even though esketamine has a variety of different brand names, Spravato is the only one that has been FDA-approved as a depression treatment.
Spravato is recommended for people who have treatment-resistant depression, in other words, who haven’t shown improvement after at least two trials of other antidepressant medications. According to studies, approximately 30.9% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are considered to have treatment-resistant symptoms.
How does it work?
Spravato works differently than other medications for treatment-resistant depression. Unlike most oral antidepressants that treat depression by increasing levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine, esketamine targets the NDMA rceptor. NDMA receptors balance the effects of other neurotransmitters and as a result, helps the brain overcome depression.
– Y Pritham Raj, MD, FACP- Chief Medical Officer of Active Path Mental Health
- Esketamine is a controlled substance and must be administered in a clinical setting. At Active Path, we’ll help make sure that your Spravato therapy is as effective and safe as possible.
- Our mental health professionals will determine the proper dosage of medication as well as how often it should be taken. When it comes to Spravato, patients come in for treatment twice a week for four weeks and once per week for another month. After that, the provider will determine the frequency of the Spravato therapy.
- Medication for depression is not meant to be the only treatment option used. Treatment plans for MDD often have a combination of medication, psychotherapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
At Active Path Mental Health, we can help you along your mental health journey by decreasing your depression symptoms with Spravato and other medication-related services. To learn about how you can benefit from our medication services, contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.