Ketamine - An Imperfect Wonder Drug?

Ketamine, a sedative and dissociative anesthetic developed in the 1960s as an alternative to phencyclidine (PCP), has been used clinically for over 50 years. It causes fewer severe side effects like hallucinations than PCP, leading to its popularity in emergency medicine and surgeries requiring rapid induction and recovery. Over recent decades, ketamine has been found effective for additional conditions, including acute and chronic pain management and psychiatric disorders such as major depression. It is also a common drug of abuse sought for its hallucinogenic and sedative effects. This review explores ketamine's clinical and non-clinical uses and its impact on patient care.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Ketamine is a potent sedative and dissociative anesthetic agent that has been used clinically for over 50 years since it was first developed in the 1960 s as an alternative to phencyclidine (PCP). When compared to PCP, ketamine exhibited a much lower incidence of severe side effects, including hallucinations, leading to its increased popularity in clinical practice. Ketamine was initially used as an anesthetic agent, especially in emergency medicine and in surgical procedures where rapid induction and recovery was necessary. However, over the last few decades, ketamine was found to have additional clinically useful properties making it effective in the treatment of a variety of other conditions. Presently, ketamine has a wide range of clinical uses beyond anesthesia including management of acute and chronic pain, as well as treatment of psychiatric disorders such as major depression. In addition to various clinical uses, ketamine is also recognized as a common drug of abuse sought for its hallucinogenic and sedative effects. This review focuses on exploring the different clinical and non-clinical uses of ketamine and its overall impact on patient care.