Is Ketamine Dangerous?
Ketamine has important medical uses, including treating certain patients with treatment-resistant depression, providing anesthesia, and managing pain. However, it should only be used under medical supervision, as misuse can lead to serious risks such as addiction, memory and mood changes, bladder damage, and overdose.
Watch the video to learn how ketamine is used in medicine and why it should never be taken without guidance from a healthcare professional. If you have questions about ketamine or a possible exposure, call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 for fast, free, and confidential advice.
💉 Read our Ketamine blog here for more info!
Transcript with visual descriptions
Visual: Thumbnail with a close-up of a gloved hand holding up a syringe against a pink background, and a white text box overlay reading “Is ketamine dangerous?”. The Missouri Poison Center logo is in the bottom right corner.
Sound: [Upbeat, funky instrumental music begins.]
Visual: Person 1 is in a room sitting in a gaming chair in front of a desk.
Person 1: Welcome to another episode of: Is Ketamine Dangerous?
Visual: Person 2, a man in a black hoodie sits in a folding chair, holding a red notebook and a pen.
Person 2: ooh! is the answer “no”?
Person 1: No.
Person 2: oh.
Person 1: But…
Person 2: oh?
Person 1: Ketamine is being increasingly used in patients with Treatment Resistant Depression.
Person 2: oh so they’re able to treat it
Person 1: Yes.
Person 2: with ketamine
Person 1: Sometimes.
Person 2: how does that work?
Visual: A gloved hand adjusts an IV line.
Person 1: Well, ketamine is a ‘dissociative anesthetic’ originally developed in the 1960s as a safer alternative to PCP.
Person 2: Mmm.
Visual: In a medical setting, a doctor points to a brain scan on a large screen.
Person 1: It affects memory, learning, and mood by interacting with NMDA Receptors in the brain.
Person 2: Mhm.
Visual: The silhouette of a person sits in a chair in front of a window, head in their hands.
Person 1: In patients with T.R.D., it provides quick relief when other treatments fail.
Visual: Back with Person 1 and 2
Person 1: It’s also used in addiction treatment, as it may help prevent relapse.
Person 2: mm hmm. Is it used for anything else?
Person 1: Yeah, anesthesia and pain management.
Person 2: Oh, okay. but– you said it was dangerous
Person 1: Yes. there IS the potential for addiction, as well as memory or mood changes, bladder damage, ODs, and other nasty stuff.
Person 2: So, what I’m hearing, is I should ask my doctor if Ketamine is right for me!
Person 1: No.
Person 2: but, you said–
Visual: A graphic overlay appears with the Missouri Poison Center logo, the phone number 1-800-222-1222, and text that reads: “Got a poison-related question? Post it in the comments below, and just maybe we’ll make a video about it.”
Person 1: Trust me. If it is? They’ll bring it up.
