Ketamine abuse Another side of the miracle drug
H Bouchra
Journal of Clinical and Medical Images, Case Reports March 10, 2023 DOI: 10.55920/2771-019x/1392 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 23-year-old man with ketamine dependence and depressive symptoms presenting to an addictology centre |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | The authors report a case of ketamine dependence in a 23-year-old man with a history of polysubstance use and suicide attempts, and argue that while ketamine's therapeutic role is growing, clinicians must remain vigilant about its significant abuse potential without letting this concern deter appropriate prescribing. |
Abstract
Ketamine is a " dissociative anaesthetic " with fast analgesic and amnesic properties that has been used since more than 40 years. Today, ketamine abuse has become a public health concern. We report the case of a 23-year-old patient who came to the Casablanca Addictology Centre asking for help with ketamine abuse. At the interview the patient presented depressive symptoms and had already made 3 suicide attempts, the last one dating from two months ago. Mr J. started his consumption of psychoactive substances during adolescence (age 14) by experimentation, the first substance was tobacco followed by crack, alcohol and ketamine. The ketamine dependency started one year ago, with 2 grams of ketamine snorted per occasion (twice a week). The reported psychoactive effects of ketamine ranged from dissociation and depersonalisation to psychotic experiences. The patient has never made a withdrawal attempt. Given the increasing therapeutic importance of ketamine, our aim was to highlight the other side of the problem, the significant risk of ketamine abuse. Thus, in this article we tried to review the history of ketamine, its growing role as a "dance drug", as well as the specifics of the management of ketamine misuse. In conclusion, the clinicians must stay vigilant, however this should not be a deterrent to appropriate prescribing.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ketamine, most cited first.