Urological symptoms following ketamine treatment for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) June 30, 2025 Jess Kerr-Gaffney, Anna Tröger, Alice Caulfield et al. 6 citations
Ketamine, a rapid-acting treatment for depression and other psychiatric conditions, has raised safety concerns because chronic recreational use can damage the bladder and urinary tract. This systematic review of 27 clinical studies, mostly in people with depression, found that 0% to 24.5% of patients receiving ketamine reported urological symptoms, which were usually mild or moderate. Objective measures of bladder and kidney function showed no significant changes from before to after treatment. The evidence suggests that therapeutic ketamine does not appear to increase the risk of urological problems, but most studies were short-term and did not systematically monitor symptoms, so more long-term research is needed.