MakatiMed opens Esketamine Care Center for people battling depression
MANILA, Philippines — Depression is a serious condition that everyone should pay attention to. We are often told to watch out for signs from family and friends who may be battling with the condition.
With Makati Medical Center’s (MakatiMed) newly established Esketamine Care Center, professional intervention can be given to cases of depression. The center was established specifically for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and major depression with immediate suicide intent (MDSI), thus making it the first and only hospital-based facility in the Philippines and the second in all of Southeast Asia to offer groundbreaking antidepressant therapy. It will be under the guidance of Carmina G. Bernardo, M.D., the hospital’s Section of Psychiatry Mood Disorder specialist.
According to Dr. Bernardo, esketamine is considered a medical breakthrough that has been newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It works by modulating glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that maintains memory, cognition and mood regulation.
This differentiates esketamine from typical antidepressants that focus more on boosting serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine levels, to which many patients are not responding well. Esketamine presents an innovative treatment strategy that has the potential to swiftly enhance the well-being of individuals dealing with depression.
To ensure that esketamine is the right option for a patient, MakatiMed psychiatrists as well as psychiatrists from hospitals all over the Philippines will first determine one’s indications and suitability. They will also discuss with the patient the potential adverse effects, such as hypertension, sedation, hallucinations and dissociation. Consent must be given by the patient before proceeding with the treatment.
While the adverse reactions are brief and last no more than two hours, those with increased blood pressure and a history of aneurysms, vascular diseases and hypersensitivity to esketamine are advised against taking the medication.
Administered intranasally only at the MakatiMed Esketamine Care Center, esketamine is given on two to three devices per session for these conditions. The session begins by recording the patient's baseline vital signs, which is also monitored throughout the treatment. The patient's depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts and anxiety levels are also assessed throughout the session to help take note of signs of improvement.
While it is an outpatient treatment, esketamine administration requires the patient to stay at the center for at least two hours for observation. One to two healthcare professionals will always be with the patient during the monitoring. If vital signs are stable and no adverse reactions are recorded during this period, the patient can be discharged from the care center as long as he (or she) has a companion going home.
“The launch of MakatiMed’s Esketamine Care Center is a bold step forward for psychiatric treatments in the Philippines. Esketamine is a groundbreaking new treatment that provides unprecedented relief for depressive symptoms,” said Saturnino P. Javier, M.D., co-president, CEO and medical director of MakatiMed.
“For many patients who have already received esketamine therapy abroad, it has given them an effective way to manage their symptoms for the first time in years. We hope it can do the same here and save more lives. It isn’t just a new milestone for our Section of Psychiatry, but also a ray of hope for people suffering from depression,” he added.
MakatiMed's Esketamine Care Center is located at the Neuropsychiatry Unit, Basement, Tower 1. For more information, contact MakatiMed On-Call at (+632) 88888-999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.
