Drug name KETAMINE General details Used intravenously during short operations to produce analgesia, paralysis and amnesia,

whilst the patient remains conscious. It is an analogue of phencyclidine, chemically similar but with less euphoria and sensory distortion. It blocks the excitatory NMDA glutamate receptor. There is a high incidence of dysphoria and hallucinations. Unlike other anaesthetics, ketamine increases heart rate and blood pressure and has no effect on respiration. It is also used as a street drug. How taken Intramuscular injection Dosage 6.513 mg/kg Duration of action 1225 minutes of surgical anaesthesia 510 minutes of surgical anaesthesia considerations Occurrence Common Common Common Common Common Common

Drug class Anaesthetic Trade names

Availability POM

Intravenous injection

14.5 mg/kg

Side effects Symptom Numbness Loss of coordination Muscle rigidity Slurred or blocked speech Vomiting Convulsions

Be careful when the patient is getting up from the bench (because this drug can cause postural hypotension), allow the patient to move from supine, to sitting, to standing to allow time for the body to adjust. Dietary advice None

Other drug interactions Premedication with diazepam reduces raised blood pressure during surgery. Increased risk of convulsions when ketamine is given with theophylline. Increased risk of CNS toxicity when ketamine given with memantine.

Special precautions High dependency when used as a street drug.