Skyland Trail Expands Treatment Options with Esketamine Therapy for Adults with Severe Depression

ATLANTA–Skyland Trail now is offering esketamine therapy, an FDA-approved, evidence-based treatment for adults presenting with treatment-resistant depression or depression with acute suicidal ideation. Esketamine (brand name Spravato™) may be used in conjunction with conventional antidepressant medication therapies, offering rapid relief from depression symptoms for many patients. Spravato™ can be a treatment accelerator, helping patients with depression and/or suicidal ideation experience quicker, more robust results.

“At Skyland Trail, we are committed to offering cutting-edge,evidence-based treatments to ensure our patients receive the most effective care available,” said Dr. Ben Hunter, Chief Medical Officer at Skyland Trail. “By incorporating esketamine therapy, we aim to accelerate relief from symptom burden and dysfunction and thereby maximize the benefit of their broadertreatment plans.”

Esketamine treatment is currently available to adult residential, PHP, and IOP patients who meet clinical criteria, and will be available to outpatients in coming months. To learn about Skyland Trail’s levels of care, click here. Patients with co-occurring substance use disorder may not be appropriate for treatment with Spravato™, with eligibility to be determined by their treatment team on a case-by-case basis. 

Spravato™ is delivered in two-hour sessions. For the first month, the patient typically has two sessions per week. For the second month, the patient has one session per week. Then, maintenance treatments are continued as needed. Patients can receive Spravato™ and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) treatment concurrently. To learn about Skyland Trail’s TMS treatment for depression, click here.

Spravato™ can be used in conjunction with psychotherapy and antidepressant medications to help patients with persistent depression. Residential treatment is an ideal environment for patients to receive a combination of these therapies. In residential treatment, patients receive 24/7 support and observation from a multidisciplinary treatment team. The patient’s treatment team can contribute more data to inform treatment decisions. Treatments can be adjusted and optimized in real-time to achieve the best possible results while minimizing side effects. To learn more about Spravato™ and its ability to provide relief in those with treatment-resistant depression, you can access the Food and Drug Administration’s news release on the topic here.