Examining the Psychedelic Side of Ketamine

Ketamine is abused as a club drug due to its potent hallucinogenic properties. What we know of the drug’s adverse events/side effects/toxicity in high dose and frequent use come from this cohort of abusers, with most of the data coming from Japan. We will examine the neurocognitive effects (euphoria, visual, and auditory hallucinations) that are desired by abusers, but correspond to “adverse events” (dysphoria, frightening hallucinations) in the clinical context. We will also examine the cultural framework of abuse and qualitative sociological impact of the drug used in the context of a club drug. Finally, we will examine the toxicity of high dose chronic use as a caution to frequent infusion in certain clinical situations. (Recorded at PAINWeek 2018)