by American Society of Anesthesiologists Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The anesthetic ketamine is being hailed as a breakthrough therapy for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression and other mood disorders. But the drug does have side effects—some potentially life-threatening—and should only be prescribed and administered by trained health care professionals to ensure the patient’s safety, according to new guidance released by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).
Long valued for its role in sedation and anesthesia during medical procedures, ketamine also has been shown to provide relief from depression symptoms in minutes or hours, while traditional anti-depression medications can take weeks to show benefits. Although ketamine is not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for non-anesthetic uses, it is increasingly prescribed off-label, fueling the rapid growth of in-person and virtual ketamine clinics across the country. Ketamine is typically delivered by infusion or injection and some clinics provide it by mail, directing patients to treat themselves at home.
Patients who receive ketamine at home or at nonaccredited outpatient clinics may not have access to the monitoring, rescue personnel or emergency resuscitation equipment necessary when anesthetic agents are being used, according to ASA’s Guidance on the Safe Use of Ketamine Outside of Acute Pain Management and Procedural Sedation . Ketamine can cause a variety of side effects , including high blood pressure and slowed breathing, and administering it inappropriately can lead to life-threatening consequences such as respiratory failure, cardiac issues and seizures.
"Following the untimely death of actor Matthew Perry due to the acute effects of ketamine, there has been a growing number of false or misleading statements and opinions in the press on its use," said Donald E. Arnold, M.D., FACHE, FASA, president of the ASA. "Ketamine was originally introduced and has its greatest use as an anesthetic. As anesthesiologists, we felt it was important to increase awareness of how to use it appropriately. People who have struggled with mental health issues and are understandably excited about a new treatment may not realize that they are risking their lives by receiving treatment without medical supervision in unaccredited clinics […]
Ketamine for mental health requires trained professionals, warns new guidance
