Intravenous ketamine successfully treats treatment-resistant catatonia in schizophrenia: A case report.
Pharmacotherapy October 1, 2024 Atif Siddiqui 5 citations
A 77-year-old woman with schizophrenia and severe catatonia—immobility, stupor, mutism—did not improve with benzodiazepines or haloperidol, and electroconvulsive therapy was unavailable during the COVID-19 pandemic. A single intravenous infusion of ketamine at 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes led to complete rapid recovery, and she remained stable as an outpatient. The authors suggest that a single ketamine infusion may be a safe and feasible option for drug-resistant catatonia in schizophrenia patients when standard therapies fail, though caution is needed due to possible psychosis exacerbation. Further research is warranted.