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	Ketamine for Depression Treatment	Minoxidil
Category	Leki	Leki
Evidence strength	Strong evidence	Strong evidence
Evidence Score	4/5	5/5
User rating	4.5 (83)	4.5 (168)
Typical dose	Esketamine (Spravato): starting dose of 56 mg intranasally on day 1, then 56 or 84 mg twice weekly for the first 4 weeks, later once weekly or every 2 weeks during the maintenance phase, always combined with an oral antidepressant. Off-label IV ketamine: typically 0.5 mg/kg body weight over a 40-minute infusion, given as a series of several sessions (e.g. 6 sessions over 2-3 weeks) in a clinical setting.	Topical form: 1 ml of 5% solution or the equivalent foam dose, applied twice daily to dry scalp (women sometimes use 5% foam once daily or a 2% solution). Oral form (LDOM, off-label): typically 0.625-5 mg/day, most often 1.25-2.5 mg, individually dosed by a physician
Form	Spravato — an intranasal spray containing esketamine, a prescription drug. Off-label IV ketamine — an infusion given exclusively in clinical settings by medical staff.	Topical solution or foam; tablets split for the oral form (compounding pharmacy preparation)
Average price	Jedna sesja dożylnego wlewu ketaminy w prywatnej klinice w Polsce: ok. 800–2000 zł; esketamina (Spravato) w ramach prywatnej opieki psychiatrycznej bywa droższa ze względu na koszt samego leku i wymóg certyfikowanej placówki	35-90 zł za opakowanie formy miejscowej starczające na miesiąc stosowania (cena zależy od koncentracji, formy i producenta — generyki są tańsze niż marki oryginalne)
Monthly cost	W fazie indukcyjnej (2 podania tygodniowo) koszt miesięczny może sięgać kilku tysięcy złotych, zależnie od placówki i formy leczenia	ok. 35-90 zł/miesiąc dla formy miejscowej; forma doustna (receptura) zwykle wychodzi wyraźnie taniej, ale wymaga recepty i wizyty lekarskiej
Time to effects	The antidepressant effect can be noticeable within hours to 24 hours after the first administration, though in most patients it's short-lived after a single dose and requires a series of repeated administrations within a supervised protocol to maintain the effect during the maintenance phase.	The temporary shedding phase can appear as early as weeks 2-8 of treatment. The first visible signs of regrowth usually appear after 3-4 months of consistent use, with a fully assessable clinical effect after 6-12 months of uninterrupted treatment. The effect requires indefinite continuation; it fades within a few months of stopping.
Who it's for	Patients with a formal diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression who have not responded to at least two prior lines of standard pharmacological treatment	Men with early- to moderate-stage androgenetic alopecia, especially in the crown area (less effective where follicles are already completely lost in advanced frontal balding)