Dissociative Anesthetics: Angel Dust to Special K to Ketamine Clinics
Our Love Affair with Drugs January 10, 2020 J. Winter
Phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine are anesthetic agents with unique pharmacological properties, distinct from depressant drugs, as they produce anesthesia without suppressing breathing. PCP was synthesized in 1956 and tested in animals, showing effects ranging from excitement to quieting and analgesia. Human studies began in 1957 at Detroit Receiving Hospital, first in seven volunteers, then in 64 patients aged 18 to 78 (47 women) undergoing surgeries like breast biopsy and hysterectomy. Intravenous PCP provided profound analgesia, often allowing surgery without additional drugs.