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Ketamine

Synonyms The most common synonyms are:
  • Cat tranquillizer, Horse tranquillizer, K, Ket, Kitty, Special K, Vitamin K.
Classification Central nervous system disruptor, dissociative anesthetic:
  • Disrupts mental processes, causes varying degrees of disturbances in brain function, perception, mood and cognitive processes.
Visual description
  • Capsules
  • Tablets
  • Crystals
  • White powder
  • Liquid
Mechanism of action
  • Non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist that blocks glutamate. Also thought to have an effect on dopamine, which would explain its effect on mood.
Routes of administration
  • Most often snorted. Can be added to a cigarette and smoked or mixed with liquids and ingested. Other routes of administration are possible but rare.

Desired effects sought by the user

  • Euphoria (heightened sense of well-being)
  • Floating sensation (dissociative effect)
  • Hallucinations
  • Insensivity to pain
  • Spiritual journeys

Common toxic effects

  • Altered state of consciousness
  • Blurred vision
  • Confusion
  • Decreased respiratory rate
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Fever
  • Hypertension (increased blood pressure)
  • Impaired motor coordination
  • Insensivity to pain
  • Memory loss
  • Muscular rigidity
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Nose bleeds
  • Numbness in the extremities
  • Slurred speech
  • Tachycardia (increased heart rate)
  • Thought disorder
  • Unpleasant taste

Overdose effects

  • Coma
  • Death
  • Paralysis
  • Prolonged sedation
  • Respiratory depression
  • Seizures
  • Stroke

Effects associated with chronic use (using ≥ 3 times/week)

  • Colicky abdominal pain (K cramps)
  • Depression
  • Kidney damage
  • Severe urinary tract infection

Tolerance (need to increase the dose to feel the same effect)

Yes.

Addiction

Possible.

Withdrawal

Possible. A user may experience the following symptoms: anxiety, tremors, sweating, palpitations, depression, flashbacks.

Onset and duration of action

Route of
administration		 Onset of
action		 Duration of
action
Ingested 5 to 20 minutes 90 minutes
The effect can last a few hours
Snorted A few minutes 45 to 60 minutes
Injected intramuscularly A few minutes 60 minutes
Injected into a vein   10 minutes

Intoxication management

  • No antidote available
  • Treatment is mainly symptomatic

Many different street drugs are sold under the same name. Furthermore, nothing guarantees the quantity, purity or even the content of a street drug in spite of the fact that it may, in some cases, look like medication.

If you need help or want to learn more:

Partnership for a Drug-Free Canada.

www.canadadrugfree.org/

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The patient information leaflets are provided by Vigilance Santé Inc. This content is for information purposes only and does not in any manner whatsoever replace the opinion or advice of your health care professional. Always consult a health care professional before making a decision about your medication or treatment.