Ketamine
What Kind of Drug Is It?
Ketamine is a general anesthetic (pronounced ann-ess-THET-ik), which is a substance used to deaden pain. General anesthetics differ from local anesthetics in two key ways: 1) general anesthetics affect the entire body rather than just a specific body part; and 2) in addition to causing a loss of sensation, they bring on a loss of consciousness.
Ketamine is very similar in structure to another anesthetic called phencyclidine (fenn-SY-kluh-deen), also known as PCP. However, it is not as powerful. (An entry on PCP is available in this encyclopedia.) Both ketamine and PCP are known as DISSOCIATIVE ANESTHETICS because of the mind-altering side effects they produce.
Overview
The anesthetic ketamine was developed as an alternative to PCP for use in humans. Ketamine, a fast-acting drug, was discovered by Dr. Calvin Stevens of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, in the early 1960s. It was considered a breakthrough drug in the field of anesthesia because of its ability to bring on sleep, relieve pain, and produce short-term memory loss in surgical patients. In addition, its anesthetic actions would not depress, or slow down, the breathing process. Doctors enthusiastically embraced the use of ketamine in the operating room, thinking the drug would make their patients feel more relaxed and comfortable when they awoke from surgery.
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