Recreational ketamine use and its impact on health
Jakub Perłowski, Marek Miśkiewicz, Jakub Ptak, Rafał Noga, Victoria Teska, J. Marcinkowska, Adrian Herc, Karolina Koczkodon, Marcelina Sawczuk, Mariusz Krompiewski
Journal of Education, Health and Sport September 24, 2024 DOI: 10.12775/jehs.2024.68.55185 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Recreation Environmental health Physical therapy |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Recreational ketamine use is associated with acute toxic effects including psychotic symptoms, hallucinations, and aggression, and chronic toxic effects including urological, neuropsychiatric, gastrointestinal, and liver problems. |
Abstract
Ketamine, also known as 2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)-cyclohexanone, is a dissociative anesthetic that has gained popularity as a recreational substance among young people, especially in nightclubs and at parties. It acts as a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, inducing a dissociative state that manifests as catalepsy, unconsciousness and amnesia. Recreational use of ketamine and the number of illicit seizures of ketamine have increased in recent years, prompting a review of current evidence on its toxicity. Recreational ketamine use is associated with a number of toxic effects, both acute and chronic. Predominant among the acute effects are psychotic symptoms, hallucinations and aggression, which can lead to serious injuries. Chronic ketamine use leads to intractable urological problems and neuropsychiatric problems, Long-term effects also include gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal pain and liver function abnormalities. This review summarizes current evidences on the acute and chronic ketamine toxicity associated with its recreational use.
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
Cited by 3
- Treadmill Exercise Training Ameliorates Apoptotic Cells and DNA Oxidation in the Cerebral Cortex of Rats Exposed to Chronic Ketamine Abuse. Addiction Biology March 1, 2025
- Real-World Therapeutic Use of Ketamine in Clinical and Non-Clinical Settings: A Cross-Sectional Survey Journal of Psychoactive Drugs September 23, 2026
- Treating addiction with an addictive drug: the ketamine paradox revisited Frontiers in Psychiatry July 9, 2026