SPRAVATO® (Esketamine) in Denver
SPRAVATO® is an FDA-approved esketamine nasal spray for adults with treatment-resistant depression and for depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with acute suicidal thoughts or actions. At Denver Ketamine Clinic it is self-administered in a private room under supervision, followed by a monitoring period, and many insurance plans cover it.
Approval and use
SPRAVATO® was approved in 2019 for use alongside an oral antidepressant, and in January 2025 the FDA approved it as a standalone treatment for adults with treatment-resistant depression. Your psychiatrist decides whether it is used with or without an oral antidepressant in your plan.
A typical visit
You use the nasal spray in the clinic, then remain for a monitoring period of about two hours while staff check on you. Sessions are usually twice weekly during the first month and less frequent afterward. You will need a ride home.
Safety
SPRAVATO® can cause sedation, dissociation, and increases in blood pressure and carries a boxed warning. It is available only through a restricted program (REMS) at certified treatment centers. Read the full Important Safety Information
SPRAVATO® or ketamine therapy?
If your insurance covers SPRAVATO® and you meet its criteria, it is usually the first ketamine-based option we discuss. Ketamine therapy remains an off-label alternative for those who do not qualify or prefer it after an informed discussion.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room.