No, you do not need a referral to visit Arkansas Infusion Center. You can contact our clinic directly and ask to schedule an evaluation. However, an evaluation does not guarantee that you are a candidate for Ketamine or Migraine treatment.

Unfortunately, racemic ketamine [IV and IM ketamine] are not covered by insurance, as they are not FDA approved. This is due to the nature of FDA approval, which typically depends on a pharmaceutical company backing a drug through an expensive and time-consuming approval process. These companies often have an incentive to pay for these studies for a new drug, as there may be a profitable market upon its patent and release. As Ketamine is an older drug, there is no way to patent and or make significant profit on its IV/IM form, so these studies required for FDA approval and insurance coverage are unlikely to be funded in the near future.

Ketamine is a widely recognized medication, primarily used for anesthesia and pain management. Developed in 1962, it was initially created with the goal of producing a drug that would have no significant side effects or risk of addiction. Known for its safety and flexibility, ketamine continues to be one of the most frequently prescribed medications by healthcare professionals for both pain relief and anesthesia. In recent years, it has also been approved as a highly effective treatment for various mental health and pain-related conditions.

An appropriate patient for ketamine treatment is 18-65 years of age with treatment-resistant depression, defined as failure of two oral antidepressant medications at adequate dose (~1/2 maximum dose) at adequate duration (4-6 weeks). Comorbid psychiatric conditions are acceptable and encouraged, with exception of a history of mania or psychosis. Patient exclusion criteria include: Known ketamine allergy Current substance use disorder (cannabis, alcohol and nicotine use are acceptable if not meeting use disorder criteria) Recent CVA or MI, space occupying lesion, liver failure, and pregnancy or breastfeeding History of mania or psychosis

There is a small chance of habituation with ketamine, but it is minimal at doses we will use for treatment.

Intravenous (IV) fluid infusions can be beneficial for expediting recovery from a variety of acute illness states including gastroenteritis, diarrhea, dehydration, viral illness, rhabdomyolysis, pancreatitis. Chronically ill patients (those with a long term illnesses) may require occasional IV fluid infusions as part of their ongoing care. Patients experiencing relative dehydration states may also benefit, such as those who have recently participated in strenuous exercise.

Patients are screened for a history of cardiac (heart) and renal (kidney) disorders to minimize risk.

Migraines are not an uncommon condition seen in the emergency department. While similar treatments are offered in that setting, they can be costly. Your medication list will be reviewed for potential interactions. In addition, due to the nature of the emergency department, this care may take several hours to initiate.

Patients who experience chronic migraines and are having a prolonged flare of symptoms.

Patients are screened for a history of cardiac (heart) and renal (kidney) disorders to minimize risk. Some medications uses require a negative pregnancy test performed on site.