First discovered by American chemist Dr. Calvin Stevens in 1962, ketamine was initially patented as a veterinary anesthetic. Beginning in 1964, Dr. Ed Domino, a pharmacology professor at the University of Michigan that specialized in neuropharmacology became the first to study the effects of ketamine on human subjects. Dr. Domino was first to coin the term "dissociative anesthesia" which is defined as a state in which the person experiences feelings of disconnection from the environment and self. In 1965, the results of Dr. Domino's human study concluded that, ketamine could be used safely as an anesthetic for humans and Ketamine hydrochloride (Ketalar) was patented as such in 1966. In 1970, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ketamine's use as an anesthetic for children, adults, and the elderly.
During the Vietnam War, use of ketamine via injection into the muscle (intramuscular or IM) became the most widely used battlefield anesthetic due to it's fast onset of action, minimal effect on respiration (breathing) and it's strong analgesic effect (pain relief) without leading to hemodynamic instability (decrease in blood pressure and/or heart rate). Military use of ketamine for anesthesia and analgesia purposes continues to this day. Intravenous (IV) ketamine has also become a mainstay for the induction of anesthesia (sedation prior to receiving general anesthetic) in both the pediatric and adult patient in emergency departments, surgical centers and outpatient centers across the globe. Since 1985, ketamine has been a mainstay on the World Health Organization's (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines.
After Dr. Domino's groundbreaking research was published in 1965, many in the scientific and medical community began to explore ketamine as an adjunct or additional treatment for psychotherapeutic use (treatment of mental health disorders). During the mid-1970's, physicians in Argentina began using ketamine as an adjunct to traditional depression management. It wasn't until the 1990's that researchers in the United States began to study the antidepressant effects of ketamine. Since then several studies published by well-known, respected science and medical journals, including: The American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP); Scientific Reports; and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) have outlined the safety and efficacy of ketamine for the treatment of treatment resistant depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), post-partum depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), suicidal ideation, and chronic pain disorders.
IV Ketamine treatment works by modulating various neurotransmitter systems in the brain, including glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and serotonin. These neurotransmitters play crucial roles in regulating mood, cognition, and pain perception. Ketamine's mechanism of action is complex and not yet fully understood, but it is believed to involve the rapid restoration of synaptic connections in the brain, leading to improvements in mood and pain symptoms.
IV Ketamine treatment has shown promise in the management of several medical conditions, including:
The benefits of IV Ketamine treatment include:
It's important to note that IV Ketamine treatment may not be suitable for everyone, and potential risks and side effects should be discussed with a qualified healthcare provider before undergoing treatment. Additionally, individual responses to ketamine therapy can vary, and outcomes may differ from person to person.
