Abstract
An old anesthetic agent, ketamine is finding new use in lower doses for analgesic
purposes. There are concerns stemming from its potential side effects—specifically
psychomimetic effects. These side effects are directly related to dose amount. The
doses used for analgesic purposes are much lower than those used for anesthesia purposes.
A literature review was performed to ascertain potential side effects and/or adverse
events when using ketamine for analgesia purposes. The search included CINAHL, PubMed,
and Ovid using the search terms “ketamine,” “ketamine infusion,” “pain,” “adverse
events,” “practice guideline,” and “randomized controlled trial.” Searches were limited
to full-text, peer-reviewed articles and systematic reviews. Initially 1,068 articles
were retrieved. The search was then narrowed by using the Boolean connector AND with
various search term combinations. After adjusting for duplication, article titles
and abstracts were reviewed, leaving 25 articles for an in-depth analysis. Specific
exclusion criteria were then applied. The literature supports the use of ketamine
for analgesic purposes, and ketamine offers a nonopioid option for the management
of some pain conditions. Because ketamine is still classified as an anesthetic agent,
health care institutions should develop their own set of policies and protocols for
the administration of ketamine. By using forethought and understanding of the properties
of ketamine, appropriate care may be planned to mitigate potential side effects and
adverse events so that patients are appropriately cared for and their pain effectively
managed.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 22, 2017
Accepted:
May 25,
2017
Received in revised form:
May 25,
2017
Received:
July 30,
2016
Footnotes
This work did not receive any funding from agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 by the American Society for Pain Management Nursing
