Author: Gary Jackson
Does Ketamine Cause Cardiac Arrest?
It is critically important that an individual who engages in inappropriate use of ketamine get professional counseling and treatment. Aside from the above drug interactions, a 2017 study reports that taking ketamine with amphetamine-like stimulants can produce undesirable effects. People who use it claim that a ketamine trip is superior to a PCP or LSD trip because it produces shorter-term hallucinations that last 30 minutes to an hour instead of several hours. Individuals who take ketamine recreationally report sensations, such as being separated from their body or a pleasant feeling of floating. Some people have an almost complete sensory detachment that they compare to a near-death experience. Evidence shows that ketamine is safe for use in people within a wide age range when taken correctly.
The overall study cohort had a median age of 63 years, with orthopedic manipulation as the most common indication for sedation (Table 2). Post-ketamine vital signs showed a notable change in 29% (9/31) of initial readings and 71% (22/31) of readings at any point during the sedation. The incidence of myocardial ischemia following ketamine administration is unknown. Ketamine is included in the American Heart Association (AHA) list of medications that may cause or exacerbate heart failure and has been reported to precipitate myocardial ischemia in the elderly [2,3].
Other side effects of Ketamine
Ketamine is an agent commonly used in emergency department procedural sedations due to its anesthetic and analgesic properties and respectable safety profile. Mild to moderate transient increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output are common due to ketamine’s increase in sympathetic activity. Often this is a desirable effect of ketamine that may help to avoid peri-procedural hypotension. However, there is a concern that these physiological changes could result in an increased myocardial oxygen demand that may exacerbate underlying cardiac disease.
The drug ketamine has been thrust into the spotlight after an autopsy report showed that Friends star Matthew Perry died from “acute effects” of the medication, raising questions about its use and its role in health care. Ketamine overdose symptoms are similar to those of PCP overdose, although the effects of ketamine tend to resolve more quickly. Patients may be unable to provide a relevant history, and clinicians should seek pertinent clinical information from witnesses. In this article, we will talk about what ketamine is, describe its short-term and long-term effects, and provide information about seeking treatment if you or a loved one are struggling with ketamine misuse. In the group of people not taking these drugs, the decrease in systolic RR after the 8th infusion is greater than among those taking SSRIs. Ketamine is on the World Health Organisation’s list of essential medicines, because it’s extremely useful as an anaesthetic in locations where ventilation equipment isn’t available.