What is SPRAVATO® (esketamine) CIII nasal spray?
SPRAVATO® is a prescription medicine, used along with an antidepressant taken by mouth to treat:
• Adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
• Depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions
SPRAVATO® is not for use as a medicine to prevent or relieve pain (anesthetic). It is not known if SPRAVATO® is safe or effective as an anesthetic medicine.
It is not known if SPRAVATO® is safe and effective for use in preventing suicide or in reducing suicidal thoughts or actions. SPRAVATO® is not for use in place of hospitalization if your healthcare provider determines that hospitalization is needed, even if improvement is experienced after the first dose of SPRAVATO®.
It is not known if SPRAVATO® is safe and effective in children.
An oral antidepressant alone may not be the best option
If you’ve taken two or more oral antidepressants and still experience symptoms of depression, you might have treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
1 in 3 people did not experience a reduction in their depressive symptoms when taking oral antidepressants alone.
After inadequate response to 2 oral antidepressants, the chance to see benefit from a third oral antidepressant alone dropped to 14%.
SPRAVATO® offers a different approach
SPRAVATO® is the only nasal spray treatment indicated for people who’ve taken two or more oral antidepressants and still experience symptoms of depression, or TRD.
SPRAVATO® is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that is believed to work differently by acting on a pathway in the brain where glutamate, a brain chemical, works with other brain chemicals to balance well-being and depression.
The exact way SPRAVATO® works is not fully understood.
SPRAVATO® Dosing Schedule
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SPRAVATO® is administered twice a week for the first four weeks.
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After the first four weeks, you and your healthcare provider will discuss and determine if treatment should be continued, the dose, and how often you’ll receive SPRAVATO®.
Frequently Asked Questions About SPRAVATO®
SPRAVATO® (esketamine) is an FDA-approved nasal spray used with an oral antidepressant to treat adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts. It’s known for delivering faster symptom relief in cases where other antidepressants have failed.
Yes, SPRAVATO® is FDA-approved and only administered in certified treatment centers like Braden Counseling Center to ensure safety. Patients are closely monitored for at least two hours after each dose for possible side effects such as drowsiness, dissociation, or changes in blood pressure. Our trained medical team follows strict protocols to keep your treatment experience safe and supportive.
If you’ve tried at least two different antidepressants without success or suffer from severe MDD with suicidal ideation, you may qualify. Our clinical team will guide you through the evaluation and referral process.
Sessions take place in a comfortable, medically supervised setting. You’ll self-administer the nasal spray and remain on-site for at least two hours while our team monitors for side effects and ensures you’re safe to leave.
Coverage varies by provider, but many commercial plans do offer SPRAVATO® benefits. We work directly with insurance companies to verify your coverage and help minimize out-of-pocket costs.
Deep TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate brain regions involved in mood regulation. It’s FDA-cleared for depression, OCD, and other conditions. Some patients who don’t respond to medication prefer Deep TMS or combine it with therapies like SPRAVATO® for enhanced results.
Our licensed mental health professionals will assess your medical history, treatment response, and lifestyle to determine which option — Deep TMS, SPRAVATO®, or both — fits your unique needs. Each treatment targets different aspects of brain function, offering personalized approaches to healing.
We are a REMS-certified SPRAVATO® provider and a licensed Deep TMS treatment center with locations across Illinois. Our experienced clinicians provide individualized, evidence-based care in a welcoming environment, ensuring you have multiple paths to recovery.
We offer a full range of therapy options including individual and couples counseling, individual therapy, family counseling, medication management, EMDR and much more!
To begin treatment, visit our Contact page or call your nearest Braden Counseling Center. Referring providers can also complete the SPRAVATO® Referral Form to coordinate care or email us at Tms-spravato@bradencenter.com.
Has the effect of treatment with SPRAVATO® been studied?
The SPRAVATO® short-term study lasted four weeks
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In a short-term study, more patients using SPRAVATO® plus oral antidepressant demonstrated rapid and superior reduction in depressive symptoms at four weeks compared to those who received placebo plus an oral antidepressant
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Most of the reduction in depressive symptoms was seen at 24 hours
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Between 24 hours and four weeks, both groups continued to improve; the difference in improvement between the groups remained but did not appear to increase through four weeks
SPRAVATO® was also studied in a long-term maintenance-of-effect trial
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The trial compared patients who stayed on SPRAVATO® and oral antidepressant to placebo and oral antidepressant long term
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Patients who stayed on SPRAVATO® were less likely to experience a return of depressive symptoms (known as relapse) compared to those who stopped therapy