Cetamine is usually used for anesthesia during surgery. Another name is Ketamine. It is used to block signals between the body and the brain. The primary use of cetamine is anesthetics during surgery, but it is also used as a pain killer.
Other uses involve relieving depression, stress, and chronic pains (The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry).
Like other medications, cetamine also has side effects, but it is safe under the supervision of medical experts.
Uses of Cetamine
Cetamine, also called ketamine, is used for dental work, minor surgeries, and other treatments which do not need complete muscle relaxation. In research, cetamine has been found effective against stress symptoms in individuals. It can be used alone or with other medications to kill cancer-related and postoperative pain.
Ketamine helps to grow new psychological connections in the brain by improving mood swings and relieving other stress syndromes. Other uses involve sedation induction to calm aggressive or agitated patients.
Ketamine is also found to be useful against animals for anesthetic purposes and other veterinary medicines.
Cetamine is administered in the following routes:
- Oral
- Sublingual
- Transmucosal
- Intranasal
- Intramuscular
- Subcutaneous
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What are the side effects of Cetamine?
Like other medications, cetamine is considered safe when used correctly. But it can cause various side effects, too, from mild to severe. Some of the most common side effects of cetamine are:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate increase
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Lack of appetite.
These are usually mild side effects and can be eradicated as the drug wears off. But some of the severe concerns in some people are respiratory depression, which can slow breathing rates and be life-threatening.
Administering a high dose of cetamine to a patient with pre-existing respiratory problems can be life-threatening. Doctors evaluate the patient’s breathing and adjust the cetamine dose to minimize the risk.
Hallucinations and delirium are some other potential effects of ketamine. They can lead to frightening the patient for several hours after drug induction. Another dangerous effect is seizures which immediately need medical attention.
There are possibilities that the use of cetamine can create allergic reactions. Allergic reactions caused by cetamine involve face or throat swelling, breathing difficulty, or a rapid heartbeat. If you face any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.
According to Karayan et al., allergic reactions from cetamine are rare. Their patient emerged from the sedative stage induced by ketamine in about an hour.
Cetamine can affect your memory or cause cognitive dysfunction if used long-term. Studies found that widespread use of cetamine can damage brain cells, affect learning power, and lead to long-term cognitive impairment.
Some professionals, for example, Bellolio MF, have stated that ketamine can cause the following:
- Over-sedation
- Increased oral secretions
- Tachycardia
- Vomiting
- Laryngospasm.
Conclusion
Cetamine is primarily used as an anesthetic medication. If misused, it can cause mild and severe side effects, like other medications. But it is usually safe and effective as a medicine if used under the supervision of a medical specialist.
Additional Info
- Ketamine for Depression – The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
- Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine
- BMJ Open, 2016; 6(6): e011384.
- American Heart Association