Ann Clin Anesth Res | Volume 4, Issue 1 | Review Article | Open Access

Ketamine in Current Clinical Practice: Anything New to Write Home About?

Avi A Weinbroum^*

Department of Research & Development, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel

^*Correspondance to: Avi A Weinbroum 

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Abstract

Ketamine has proven to be a potent and safe drug for over five decades. While its active enantiomer is S(+)-ketamine, the most widely distributed formulation combines S-ketamine with the weaker R(+) enantiomer. The pharmacology of the drug is well-established. Its main metabolite is not nor ketamine, which is responsible for most of its neuropharmacological activities that result
mostly from the blockade of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors; which decrease the “wind up” phenomenon and enhance the descending inhibition pathways in the spinal cord. Pastpsychomimetic events were related to high-dose protocols that have now been replaced by “sub anesthetic” doses.

Citation:

Weinbroum AA. Ketamine in Current Clinical Practice: Anything New to Write Home About?. Ann Clin Anesth Res. 2020;4(1): 1028..