Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions. Despite many proven pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments available, high rates of partial response and low rates of long-term remission remain. Ketamine has been receiving increasing attention as an interventional treatment modality in psychiatry, especially among refractory conditions, including major depressive disorder. There is growing evidence to support the use of ketamine treatment for anxiety disorders.  Its unique mechanism of action, rapid onset, and high rate of response have driven its use in clinical practice. Ketamine is generally well tolerated by patients and has a limited side effect profile. There is a growing body of research and increasing clinical experience to suggest ketamine may have clinical applications in the treatment of refractory anxiety disorders.

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that was first introduced in the 1960s. It is a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and acts on the glutamate system in the brain, which is thought to play a role in the regulation of mood and behavior.