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Ketamine
Armando Aguirre
Galen College of Nursing
PHM 2500 – Introduction to Pharmacology
Professor Andrew Krueger
December 4, 2024
, 2
Introduction to Ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic first introduced in the early 1960s. In short terms,
this drug creates this “dissociative” effect, which causes distortion to the patient’s memory.
Although its initial purpose was to be an anesthetic, this drug has shown to be more potent across
disciplines, demonstrating its precarious effects in treating pain and psychological disorders (Li
& Vlisides, 2016). Ketamine was primarily created to replace phencyclidine (PCP), revealing
that ketamine had better outcomes than PCP. As mentioned, ketamine’s primary indications span
from surgical to psychiatric settings, consisting of treatment-resistant depression (TRD), suicidal
ideation, analgesia, and even emergency sedation. There are a few ways that ketamine can be
administered, such as subcutaneous (SC), intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), or nasal routes.
It is more commonly known as Special K, super-acid, and others when mentioned in recreational
terms. In addition, “ketamine has the potential for a range of dangerous to deadly reactions, from
hallucinogenic effects, disorientation and impaired function to intestinal pain, toxicity and
cardiac arrest” (Crocker, 2022). In contempt of events such as these, the role that ketamine plays
in modern medicine progresses towards innovative advancements, especially in emergency and
psychiatric disciplines, where its rapid onset and versatile pharmacological profile are
recognized.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is considered one of the major indications that is
used to treat drug ketamine. “Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) typically refers to inadequate
response to at least one antidepressant trial of adequate doses and duration (Fava, 2003). This
type of depression is classified under Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). MDD Many factors
play a role in the cause of MDD, such as age, gender, medications, physical health, and others.
Ketamine
Armando Aguirre
Galen College of Nursing
PHM 2500 – Introduction to Pharmacology
Professor Andrew Krueger
December 4, 2024
, 2
Introduction to Ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic first introduced in the early 1960s. In short terms,
this drug creates this “dissociative” effect, which causes distortion to the patient’s memory.
Although its initial purpose was to be an anesthetic, this drug has shown to be more potent across
disciplines, demonstrating its precarious effects in treating pain and psychological disorders (Li
& Vlisides, 2016). Ketamine was primarily created to replace phencyclidine (PCP), revealing
that ketamine had better outcomes than PCP. As mentioned, ketamine’s primary indications span
from surgical to psychiatric settings, consisting of treatment-resistant depression (TRD), suicidal
ideation, analgesia, and even emergency sedation. There are a few ways that ketamine can be
administered, such as subcutaneous (SC), intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), or nasal routes.
It is more commonly known as Special K, super-acid, and others when mentioned in recreational
terms. In addition, “ketamine has the potential for a range of dangerous to deadly reactions, from
hallucinogenic effects, disorientation and impaired function to intestinal pain, toxicity and
cardiac arrest” (Crocker, 2022). In contempt of events such as these, the role that ketamine plays
in modern medicine progresses towards innovative advancements, especially in emergency and
psychiatric disciplines, where its rapid onset and versatile pharmacological profile are
recognized.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is considered one of the major indications that is
used to treat drug ketamine. “Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) typically refers to inadequate
response to at least one antidepressant trial of adequate doses and duration (Fava, 2003). This
type of depression is classified under Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). MDD Many factors
play a role in the cause of MDD, such as age, gender, medications, physical health, and others.
