Ketamine

Why in News

      In recent years, ketamine has become a subject of widespread debate for its increased use in treating depression and serious mental health issues. While some experts and patients lauded it as lifesaving, others criticized it as addictive.

Important Points

•     Matthew Perry died from the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor released.

•     The report says coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.The amount of ketamine detected “would be enough to make him lose consciousness and lose his posture and his ability to keep himself above the water.

About Ketamine

•     Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic hallucinogen that has been used as an anaesthetic for animals since the 1960s and was later approved for human use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

•     It is known for creating a feeling of detachment from pain and the environment. In recent years, ketamine has gained attention for its potential therapeutic effects in treating depression and other serious mental health issues, especially in cases where traditional therapies have not been effective.

Methods of Consumption

•     Mental illness patients usually take ketamine through an IV, nasal spray or tablet once or twice a week for six to eight weeks (some might need it for longer).

•     When it comes to recreational purposes, it is consumed by snorting a white crystalline powder.

•     Ketamine can also be injected or smoked.