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\u201cWhen enough stories like that started to pile up, doctors said, \u2018Maybe there\u2019s something here,\u2019 \u201d says Stewart, an emergency physician and founder of Insight Ketamine in Santa Fe, NM. Like the drug itself, Stewart got his start in combat medicine during the Vietnam War. After more than half a century since its discovery, ketamine has emerged as a promising drug for pain management, anti-depression and anti-inflammation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Ketamine has been shown to increase the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV), while also increasing the severity of nausea21. One of ketamine’s positive features is that it has a minimal effect on the central respiratory drive if given slowly, although rapid iv injection can cause transient apnea. Ketamine increases salivary secretions, which may increase the incidence of laryngospasm. This may be due to partial airway obstruction and can be resolved by simple airway maneuvers. Secretions can be anticipated; therefore, it is recommended to co-administer a small dose of atropine (0.01 mg\/kg)22. In contrast, no recreational use of the drug is safe, as it can cause addiction and adverse health effects that can lead to death.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Ketamine use can be fatal in people who are alcoholics or acutely intoxicated with alcohol. There are animal reports of an increased risk of toxicity when ketamine is combined with caffeine. Theoretically, this may be a concern in people who alcoholic ketoacidosis smell<\/a> have consumed energy drinks, often done at nightclubs where this medicine may be abused.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Millions of Americans are self medicating with alcohol, and others increasingly with marijuana, and so on, all the time. I certainly think clinicians and patients should be talking about these things. I don’t know the degree to which esketamine is currently under serious clinical investigation for some of these other psychiatric indications. It would stand to reason that the manufacturer would have an enormous incentive to identify and get FDA approval for other indications. PTSD, or possibly severe generalized anxiety disorder, might fit that bill. I don’t think we have the same level of evidence that we do with opioids, where we have many well-designed, personalized sobriety gifts<\/a> rigorously developed studies, but there is a risk of addiction.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nChronic pain management<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
More on Depression<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n