Beyond the High: A Narrative Review of the Chronic Complications of Recreational Ketamine Use.
Karen L Erskine, Paul I Dargan, David M Wood
British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005) May 18, 2026 DOI: 10.31083/bjhm53976 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Recreational ketamine users |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Gastrointestinal diseases Public health Substance-related disorders Urological diseases |
| Key findings | Chronic, high-dose recreational ketamine use can cause dependence and long-term complications in the urological, neurological, neuropsychiatric, and hepatobiliary systems. |
Abstract
Ketamine, initially developed as a dissociative anaesthetic, has seen expanding therapeutic applications, in managing treatment-resistant depression and chronic pain. However, its psychoactive properties have also been associated with a significant rise in recreational use globally. Chronic, high-dose recreational ketamine use is associated with dependence potential and a spectrum of long-term complications affecting multiple organ systems. This narrative review details the major chronic urological, neurological, neuropsychiatric and hepatobiliary complications that clinicians may encounter in individuals with long-term ketamine use, along with an overview of the potential risk of dependence. This review highlights the importance of heightened awareness among clinicians of the issues related to long-term ketamine use, enabling early identification and prompt, appropriate investigation and management.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketamine and Ketamine Metabolite Pharmacology: Insights into Therapeutic Mechanisms | 2018 | Review | |
| Mechanisms of Ketamine Action as an Antidepressant | 2018 | Review | |
| Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Ketamine Pharmacology: An Update (Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Aspects, Recent Findings) | 2013 | Review | |
| A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders | 2017 | Review and consensus statement |
Citations in the library
Cites 32
- A Randomized Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 2006
- Ketamine use: a review Addiction July 21, 2011
- Taming the Ketamine Tiger Anesthesiology August 6, 2010
- Ketamine: 50 Years of Modulating the Mind Frontiers in Human Neuroscience November 29, 2016
- The destruction of the lower urinary tract by ketamine abuse: a new syndrome? British Journal of Urology August 1, 2008
and 27 more in the library