Ketamine Therapy for
Palliative Care
Ketamine can help manage pain, depression and anxiety in palliative care patients.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is specialized medical support for people with serious or terminal illness. Its goal is to relieve pain, manage symptoms, and address emotional and psychological needs—improving quality of life for both patients and families.
It can be provided at any stage of illness, alongside curative treatments, through a team of doctors, nurses, and counselors who work together to offer holistic support.
How ketamine treats palliative care
“For many patients, relief begins within hours of their first session — not weeks.”
Ketamine treatment plays a unique dual role in palliative care by addressing both physical pain and emotional suffering. By regulating the brain’s glutamate system and blocking NMDA receptors, it can disrupt chronic pain signals, providing relief where traditional pain management techniques may fall short.
Ketamine also offers relief from symptoms such as depression and anxiety, and helps relieve existential distress. It can help people alleviate their fears and anxieties about death while leaning into acceptance.
Research shows that psychological distress of patients in palliative care may improve after a single administration of S-ketamine.
- Glutamate
- NMDA receptor
- New pathways
- Onset of relief
- Primary mechanism
- Neuroplasticity effect
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
- Onset of relief
- Primary mechanism
- Neuroplasticity effect
The ketamine treatment process
01
Schedule free consultation
02
Begin treatment
03
During treatment
04
Regular sessions
Our physicians design a customized treatment plan for each patient. We offer IV ketamine and Spravato nasal spray. The induction period lasts 3–4 weeks and can be followed by maintenance sessions tailored to each patient’s needs.
Rapid relief for Palliative Care
Feel better in hours to days — not weeks. Here’s what the research shows.
57%
Response rate of patients in hospice care
100%
Studies reporting antidepressant effect in palliative care
52%
Remission rate for depression
40 min
Onset of relief in palliative care patients
What our patients are saying
Treatment options
We offer two evidence-based ketamine treatments: Spravato® nasal spray, for patients who also have treatment-resistant depression, and IV ketamine infusions, both administered under medical supervision.
Spravato®
Esketamine nasal spray
- FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression
- Based on a ketamine derivative
- In-clinic treatment under physician supervision
- Insurance-covered
- Most patients pay $0–$50 per visit after insurance coverage and available assistance programs.
IV ketamine
Intravenous ketamine infusion
- Treats depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, postpartum depression, AUD, and other mental health disorders.
- Available to patients not eligible for Spravato
- Delivered under physician supervision
- Self-pay treatment
- $500 per session
If you’re not sure, we’ll help you understand which option is right for you.
Research on ketamine therapy & palliative dare
Effect of Postoperative Esketamine on Depression After Pancreatoduodenectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Researchers found that adding esketamine to postoperative pain management after pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) was associated with lower opioid use and may help improve postoperative depressive symptoms.
Effect of Postoperative Esketamine on Depression After Pancreatoduodenectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Researchers found that adding esketamine to postoperative pain management after pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) was associated with lower opioid use and may help improve postoperative depressive symptoms.
Facing a Terminal Diagnosis With the Help of Ketamine
In an ongoing clinical trial, researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) and Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI), both at the University of Utah, are testing a new form of therapy that integrates ketamine doses with talk therapy to try to help cancer patients when other interventions fall short.
How Psychedelic Drugs Can Aid Patients at the End of Life
Retrospective controlled analysis showing significant symptom reduction in routine care settings.
The Use of Ketamine in the Management of Refractory Cancer Pain in a Palliative Care Unit
Ketamine has been used as an adjuvant to opioid therapy for the management of refractory cancer pain but the current evidence is insufficient to draw any conclusions regarding its efficacy.
FAQs
In most cases, ketamine therapy does not require stopping your current medications, but it depends on your current regimen. At Keta Medical Center, our clinical team will review your full medical and medication history to ensure ketamine can be used safely alongside your current prescriptions.
Ketamine may be a helpful option for palliative care patients who are experiencing any of the following:
- Severe depression, anxiety, or PTSD that hasn’t improved or plateaued with standard treatments
- Chronic or neuropathic pain that remains difficult to control despite other medications
- Emotional or existential distress that affects quality of life
- Need for rapid symptom relief to support comfort and well-being
For many palliative care patients, ketamine can help ease emotional suffering, improve mood, and enhance comfort—often more quickly than traditional medications.
Not sure yet?
Explore the resources on our site to find out how ketamine treatment can help you heal.