Ketamine

Ketamine (INN) is a medication used mainly for starting and maintaining anesthesia. Other uses include sedation in intensive care, as a pain killer, as treatment of bronchospasm, as a treatment for complex regional pain syndrome and as an antidepressant. It induces a trance like state while providing pain relief, sedation, and memory loss. Heart function, breathing and airway reflexes generally remain functional.

Dosage and routes

Adult and Child:IV 1-4.5 mg/kg over 1 min

Adult and Child:IM 6.-13 mg/kg

Available forms: Inj 10, 50, 100 mg/ml vial

Side effects

Common side effects include a number of psychological reactions as the medication wears.This may include agitation, confusion and psychosis among others. Elevated blood pressure and muscle tremors are relatively common, while low blood pressure and a decreasing in breathing is less so. Spasms of the larynx may rarely occur