Feasibility and Safety of Ketamine for Suicidal Patients in the Emergency Department

Recruiting now · Phase 1

Conditions studied: Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Depression

In brief

There is currently no readily available pharmacologic intervention for suicidal ideation, a true psychiatric emergency, in the Emergency Department (ED). Investigators aim to trial low-dose, intravenous ketamine, a drug with well-established use in treatment-resistant depression, for patients who present to the ED with suicidal ideation.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06085937

Run by

Lindsay Maguire, MD

People needed

50

Starts

2024-05-01

Expected to finish

2027-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-15

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Acutely Suicidality ("yes" answer to any of items 4 or 5 on C-SSRS "Suicidal Ideation" category)
• Require inpatient stabilization for SI or actions based on clinical observation and interview
• Are accepted for psychiatric stabilization at the University of Kansas Medical Center's Strawberry Hill campus
• Have a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 15
• Age 18-65

You may not qualify if…

• Current or past history of psychosis
• Current or recent (past 4 weeks) symptoms of mania/hypomania as defined by Young Mania Rating Scale (YRMS) score of 12 or greater
• History of ketamine use disorder
• History of liver transplant
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Imprisonment or inability to consent
• Positive urine drug screen or serum alcohol level
• Hypertension (SBP > 160 or DBP > 100 before administration of ketamine)
• Hypotension (SBP < 90)
• Presence of acute medical condition requiring admission to medical service
• Allergy, intolerance, or previous adverse reaction to ketamine
• Patient has 8+ lifetime ketamine exposures
• The treating physician determines that the patient is not a good candidate for the study (e.g. medical condition/procedure, medication that would contradindicate ketamine treatment)

Where it is running

• University of Kansas Medical Center Emergency Department — Kansas City, Kansas, United States (enrolling)
• University of Kansas Strawberry Hill Campus — Kansas City, Kansas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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