Statewide Ketamine and Esketamine Prescribing Trends in Rhode Island, 2017-2023

Ketamine is a versatile anesthetic that has been widely used off-label to treat a variety of indications. Esketamine, a derivative of ketamine, is FDA-approved to treat treatment-resistant depression. This report compares statewide prescription ketamine and esketamine trends. Using PDMP data from 2017-2023, prescription and prescriber characteristics, and patient demographics were compared between esketamine and ketamine prescriptions. During this time, ketamine prescriptions, patients, and providers rose 55.8%, 30.6%, and 2.8% since 2017. Esketamine prescriptions increased 1289.4% since 2019. In 2023, ketamine prescriptions were primarily in powder form (98.7%) and paid for out-of-pocket (83.9%), whereas esketamine prescriptions were primarily paid for by insurance (80.2%). The proportion of ketamine prescribed in RI but dispensed out-of-state have increased 22% since 2022 (18% of total dispensations). As more people seek treatment for mental health disorders, ketamine and esketamine prescriptions continue to rise. Understanding ketamine and esketamine use can help mitigate associated adverse events.