Description
Ketamine is on the World Health Organisation’s list of essential medicines, because it’s extremely useful as an anaesthetic in locations where ventilation equipment isn’t available. Although its slight psychedelic effects don’t make it an ideal anaesthetic in general, because it doesn’t impact on breathing rates as much as other anaesthetics do, it’s extremely useful in the field, or in locations where it’s harder to access such equipment. Because it doesn’t lower blood pressure it’s also useful as a painkiller in emergency trauma situations as well.
It’s also used in palliative care and chronic cancer pain in the UK, in particular for individuals who are no longer responding to conventional opioid treatment.
Ketamine is used by medical practitioners and veterinarians as an anaesthetic. It is sometimes used illegally by people to get high.
