Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses

Ketamine as an old–new drug has a variety of clinical implications. In the last 30 years, ketamine has become popular for acute use in humans. Ketamine in standard doses is principally utilized for the induction and maintenance of surgical procedures. Besides its use in anesthesia and analgesia, rec...

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Main Authors: Katarina Savić Vujović, Ana Jotić, Branislava Medić, Dragana Srebro, Aleksandar Vujović, Janko Žujović, Ana Opanković, Sonja Vučković
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/1/16
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author Katarina Savić Vujović
Ana Jotić
Branislava Medić
Dragana Srebro
Aleksandar Vujović
Janko Žujović
Ana Opanković
Sonja Vučković
author_facet Katarina Savić Vujović
Ana Jotić
Branislava Medić
Dragana Srebro
Aleksandar Vujović
Janko Žujović
Ana Opanković
Sonja Vučković
author_sort Katarina Savić Vujović
collection DOAJ
description Ketamine as an old–new drug has a variety of clinical implications. In the last 30 years, ketamine has become popular for acute use in humans. Ketamine in standard doses is principally utilized for the induction and maintenance of surgical procedures. Besides its use in anesthesia and analgesia, recent studies have shown that ketamine has found a place in the treatment of asthma, epilepsy, depression, bipolar affective disorders, alcohol and heroin addiction. Ketamine primarily functions as a noncompetitive antagonist targeting the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, but its mechanism of action is complex. It is generally regarded as safe, with low doses and short-term use typically not leading to significant adverse effects. Also, ketamine is known as a powerful psychostimulant. During the past decade, ketamine has been one of the commonly abused drugs.
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spelling doaj.art-901d609abf5942d8b46593c45956a9282024-01-26T18:04:47ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472023-12-011711610.3390/ph17010016Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and AbusesKatarina Savić Vujović0Ana Jotić1Branislava Medić2Dragana Srebro3Aleksandar Vujović4Janko Žujović5Ana Opanković6Sonja Vučković7Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, SerbiaClinic for Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Pasterova 2, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, SerbiaHospital for ENT, KBC “Dragiša Mišović”, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaClinical Centre of Montenegro, Centre for Abdominal Surgery, 81000 Podgorica, MontenegroClinical Centre of Serbia, Clinic for Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, SerbiaKetamine as an old–new drug has a variety of clinical implications. In the last 30 years, ketamine has become popular for acute use in humans. Ketamine in standard doses is principally utilized for the induction and maintenance of surgical procedures. Besides its use in anesthesia and analgesia, recent studies have shown that ketamine has found a place in the treatment of asthma, epilepsy, depression, bipolar affective disorders, alcohol and heroin addiction. Ketamine primarily functions as a noncompetitive antagonist targeting the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, but its mechanism of action is complex. It is generally regarded as safe, with low doses and short-term use typically not leading to significant adverse effects. Also, ketamine is known as a powerful psychostimulant. During the past decade, ketamine has been one of the commonly abused drugs.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/1/16ketamineanalgesiaanesthesiaclinical implicationsabuse
spellingShingle Katarina Savić Vujović
Ana Jotić
Branislava Medić
Dragana Srebro
Aleksandar Vujović
Janko Žujović
Ana Opanković
Sonja Vučković
Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses
Pharmaceuticals
ketamine
analgesia
anesthesia
clinical implications
abuse
title Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses
title_full Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses
title_fullStr Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses
title_full_unstemmed Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses
title_short Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses
title_sort ketamine an old new drug uses and abuses
topic ketamine
analgesia
anesthesia
clinical implications
abuse
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/1/16
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