IV KETAMINE KNOWLEDGE CENTER
IV Ketamine Knowledge Center
Clear information about IV ketamine infusion therapy for depression — how it works, what a first infusion is like, how dosing is structured, what the safety research shows, and what it costs. IV ketamine is used off-label, so every article is written from the peer-reviewed literature and cites its sources by PubMed record on the page.
Looking for pricing or the treatment itself? See IV ketamine treatment and pricing at Innerbloom Medical.
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How IV Ketamine Works for Depression: Glutamate, Neuroplasticity, and mTOR
The leading scientific explanation for how IV ketamine relieves depression rapidly — glutamate signaling, synaptic growth, and the mTOR pathway — and what is still being researched.
Read article →9 min readHow to use this guide
These pages explain what IV ketamine does, what treatment involves, what the research says about safety and durability, and how cost and coverage work. They are educational and cannot tell you whether treatment is right for you — that requires an evaluation by a clinician.
Each article separates three things that are easy to confuse: what the published research shows (and in what population — human or animal), what is still uncertain, and what Innerbloom Medical specifically does.
The treatment process
Your first infusion, the induction series, and dosing.
What to Expect at Your First Ketamine Infusion
A step-by-step walkthrough of a first IV ketamine infusion at Innerbloom Medical — dosing, monitoring, what the experience is like, recovery, and going home.
Read article →9 min readIV Ketamine Dosing and the Six-Infusion Induction Series
How IV ketamine dosing works at Innerbloom Medical — the six-infusion induction series, why it is structured that way, and how titration is individualized after the first session.
Read article →9 min readSafety and side effects
What the published research shows, and what it does not yet.
Cost and insurance
What we charge, why IV ketamine is cash-pay, and what your options are.
How Much Does Ketamine Therapy Cost in Arizona?
Innerbloom Medical's published IV ketamine prices in Scottsdale, what actually drives the cost of an infusion, and why insurance rarely covers it.
Read article →8 min readDoes Insurance Cover IV Ketamine Infusions?
How insurance coverage works for IV ketamine infusion therapy — why it differs from Spravato, what Medicare and Medicaid generally do, and how out-of-network reimbursement works.
Read article →8 min readScottsdale and Arizona resources
IV ketamine treatment in Scottsdale
Innerbloom Medical is a physician-led clinic in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, serving patients across the Phoenix metro area. Dr. Andrew Zabel, a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, evaluates every patient, personally monitors each first infusion, and sets the individualized dosing plan that the nursing team follows for subsequent infusions.
- IV ketamine pricing and packages
- Our Scottsdale clinic, location and parking
- Depression and treatment-resistant depression
- Veterans and first responders
- Integration therapy partners
4388 N. Civic Center Plaza, Suite 101, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 • (623) 343-3466
Crisis and urgent help in Arizona
Ketamine treatment is not a substitute for emergency care. If you or someone else may be in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
In the United States, call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. The Lifeline serves callers in Arizona and can connect you with local crisis services.
Veterans can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.
IV ketamine: frequently asked questions
Is IV ketamine FDA-approved for depression?↓
No. Ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic. Its use for depression, anxiety and PTSD is off-label, supported by peer-reviewed clinical trials rather than an FDA label. Spravato (esketamine nasal spray) is the FDA-approved ketamine-derived treatment for depression.
How is IV ketamine different from Spravato?↓
IV ketamine is racemic ketamine given by intravenous infusion, used off-label for depression at a dose based on body weight. Spravato is esketamine, one component of the ketamine molecule, given as a nasal spray under an FDA-approved label and a REMS safety program. They are related but not interchangeable, and insurance treats them very differently.
How many infusions will I need?↓
The standard induction series at Innerbloom Medical is six infusions over 2–3 weeks, starting at 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes. Dosing after the first infusion is individualized. Many patients then move to a maintenance plan, because the effects of an induction series fade over time.
How much does IV ketamine cost?↓
At Innerbloom Medical a single infusion is $625 and the six-infusion induction series is $3,000. IV ketamine for depression is rarely covered by insurance because it is off-label; Spravato is the exception. Current prices are on our pricing page.
Who monitors the infusion?↓
Dr. Zabel personally monitors every patient's first infusion and sets the individualized dosing plan. Follow-up infusions are monitored by nurses trained in critical care and emergency medicine under that plan, and Dr. Zabel is always available for consultation.
Can I drive myself home after an infusion?↓
No. You will need a driver or rideshare home after every ketamine infusion.
How do I find out whether IV ketamine is appropriate for me?↓
Eligibility requires an individualized evaluation of your diagnosis, treatment history, medications and medical conditions. At Innerbloom Medical that evaluation begins with a free intake. An intake is not a guarantee of eligibility.
Medical review
Andrew Zabel, DO
DO, Board-Certified Emergency Medicine • Medical Director, Innerbloom Medical
Clinical content in the Knowledge Center is reviewed by a licensed physician before publication. Current status for these pages: Medically reviewed by Andrew Zabel, DO.
Sources
Medical statements on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed sources below, cited by PubMed record. IV ketamine for depression has no FDA label, so where sources differ, controlled trials and systematic reviews are given more weight than single studies, and animal-model findings are identified as such.
PRIMARY SOURCES
- Berman RM, et al. Antidepressant effects of ketamine in depressed patients
Biological Psychiatry, 2000;47(4):351–354 • First controlled trial; established the 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes protocol
- Zarate CA Jr, et al. A randomized trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist in treatment-resistant major depression
Archives of General Psychiatry, 2006;63(8):856–864 • NIMH randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial
- aan het Rot M, et al. Safety and efficacy of repeated-dose intravenous ketamine for treatment-resistant depression
Biological Psychiatry, 2010;67(2):139–145 • Open-label, 10 patients; origin of the six-infusions-over-two-weeks structure
- Murrough JW, et al. Antidepressant efficacy of ketamine in treatment-resistant major depression: a two-site randomized controlled trial
American Journal of Psychiatry, 2013;170(10):1134–1142
- Short B, et al. Side-effects associated with ketamine use in depression: a systematic review
Lancet Psychiatry, 2018;5(1):65–78 • Systematic review of 60 studies
- Sanacora G, et al. A consensus statement on the use of ketamine in the treatment of mood disorders
JAMA Psychiatry, 2017;74(4):399–405 (American Psychiatric Association Council of Research Task Force)
SUPPORTING SOURCES
- Li N, et al. mTOR-dependent synapse formation underlies the rapid antidepressant effects of NMDA antagonists
Science, 2010;329(5994):959–964 • Animal model
- Zanos P, Gould TD. Mechanisms of ketamine action as an antidepressant
Molecular Psychiatry, 2018;23(4):801–811 • Review of proposed mechanisms
- Schak KM, et al. Potential risks of poorly monitored ketamine use in depression treatment
American Journal of Psychiatry, 2016;173(3):215–218
Wondering whether IV ketamine may be appropriate for you? Start with a free intake.
Book Free IntakeScheduling an intake does not guarantee that IV ketamine is appropriate for you, that you will be prescribed it, or that your insurance will approve coverage.