Since it began to be applied in medicine, the use of ketamine has divided defenders and critics.
Los Angeles County coroners concluded Friday that “high levels of ketamine” were detected in the actor’s blood samples. FriendsMatthew Perry, caused his death on October 28th.
Perry, according to experts, may have experienced the “acute and lethal effects” of this drug, such as “cardiovascular hyperstimulation or respiratory depression.”
Ketamine is a drug used in medicine and veterinary medicine for its sedative properties, although its hallucinogenic effects also make it a dangerous compound when consumed as a recreational substance.
In the medical community itself, despite being widely used as an anesthetic, sedative and analgesic, ketamine generates a diversity of opinions due to its strong dissociative properties.
In 2019, a derivative of the drug was approved in the United States and the European Union for severe cases of depression that did not respond to other treatments.
And other recent studies have explored its potential use for treating addictions such as alcoholism.
However, many have raised concerns due to the lack of broader medical evidence regarding these uses.
BBC News Mundo provides more details on this medicine.
What is ketamine used in medicine?
In the British National Health System (NHS) and public services in other countries, ketamine is used as a sedative, anesthetic and analgesic.
It also has widespread use in sedating animals.
The first molecule was synthesized in 1962 by the team led by Professor Calvin Lee Stevens, from Wayne State University, Michigan, United States.
Two years later, this molecule was tested in a clinical trial and was quickly introduced into clinical practice as an anesthetic.
In recent years, several studies have explored the use of ketamine to treat addiction and severe cases of depression.
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In 2019, University College London published an experimental study that revealed that even a small dose of ketamine could help reduce alcohol intake, although it recommended further research be done.
That same year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission approved that esketamine, a derivative of ketamine, could be administered as a nasal spray, in combination with another oral antidepressant.
The intention was to treat severe cases of depression in adults who had tried other treatments but had not benefited from them.
This approval was given despite several criticisms of the limitations of the medical evidence in this regard.
What effects does ketamine have on the body?
Known as “Special K” or “Kit Kat”, ketamine is also sold illegally and used as a recreational drug due to its hallucinogenic effects.
It looks like a white granular powder and reduces the body’s sensitivity, putting the consumer at risk of injury.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) notes that “ketamine distorts the perception of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and out of control.”
“This causes patients to feel separated from the pain and the environment,” he adds.
The drug also induces sedative states, making users feel calm and relaxed. The experience can, however, cause episodes of amnesia.
“At low doses, it produces a state similar to that of alcohol, with difficulty speaking or walking, and can also induce states of euphoria that can last from 15 minutes to 2 or 3 hours”, Bruno García Mendive, specialist in anesthesiology and extensive medicine work experience in intensive care in Cuba and Spain.
“Combined with alcohol, it can cause respiratory depression and cardiac arrest. Hence the danger of its free and uncontrolled use, with great risks of mortality if there are no means of resuscitation for these complications,” he adds.
“Ketamine has also been used to facilitate sexual violence,” comments the DEA.
Other effects include agitation, depression, cognitive difficulties, loss of consciousness, rapid eye movements, dilated pupils, salivation, tear secretion, muscle stiffness, and possible nausea.
The NHS also notes that bladder damage is common in people who use illegal ketamine recreationally.
Furthermore, Brazil’s Drug Law currently makes it a crime to acquire, store or transport illicit drugs for personal consumption, as is cultivating plants for this purpose.
There is no imprisonment for this crime. The sanctions envisaged in this case are “warning on the effects of drugs”, “provision of community service” and/or “educational measure consisting of attendance of an educational program or course”.
Why does ketamine cause conflicting opinions?
Since it began to be applied in medicine, the use of ketamine has divided defenders and critics, according to an article published by the US National Institutes of Health.
García Mendive points out that the strong dissociation that ketamine can cause when administered as anesthesia generates conflict among experts, making it necessary to use other drugs to neutralize this side effect.
This is why many practitioners prefer to use other anesthetics and choose to avoid ketamine in many procedures.
As with the potential antidepressant effects of other substances, such as magic mushrooms, media coverage of ketamine also raises red flags.
This year, a group of researchers led by Nicollette Thornton of the University of Sydney in Australia concluded that ketamine has been portrayed in the media in an “extremely positive” light. This was done with little reference to “long-term efficacy and safety” and with quotes from opinion leaders that were “overly optimistic compared to the existing evidence base.”
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
