Ketamine: effects and risks of this drug

This substance is used in medical contexts, but also recreationally and uncontrolled.

Throughout history, many substances have been used in medicine as an anesthetic and analgesic. Many of these substances have subsequently been taken out of the medical field to be used recreationally.

One such substance is ketamine, or "special K", a substance used in medicine and veterinary medicine and veterinary medicine that is known for its ability to generate dissociated states of consciousness.

Ketamine as a psychoactive element

The ketamine is a psychoactive substance initially used in medicine and veterinary medicine (currently its main legal use is in veterinary practice) as a general anesthetic. It is a drug derived from phencyclidine, which has characteristics that make it belong to the group of psychodysleptic substances. As such, it generates an alteration in the functioning of the nervous system that tends to cause perceptual alterations such as hallucinations.

This drug acts on the nervous system as a substance of depressant characteristics, generating depressant characteristics, generating sedation and analgesia effectively effectively by reducing neuronal activity in the brain.

Also known as Kit-katis also consumed recreationally due to its potent hallucinogenic effects, which are characterized by causing dissociative conditions in which individuals perceive that their mind is separated from their body and even that they are able to observe their body from the outside, as occurs with some near-death experiences.

On the other hand, ketamine is usually administered intravenously The substance is used for medical and veterinary purposes, although recreationally it is usually produced as a powder for inhalation or as a tablet or lozenge for oral consumption. This substance causes a certain level of amnesia after its consumption and generally has no smell or taste.

Effects of ketamine

Ketamine has a wide variety of effects.which you can see below.

1. Physical relaxation

At relatively low doses, the effects of this substance are relaxing and anesthetic. Numbness is often noted in different parts of the body, such as the extremitiessuch as the extremities, as well as feelings of placidity.

2. Amplification of sensory perception

Although it is a depressant substance, in its recreational use it has been shown that ketamine generates an amplified sensory perception.. Colors and sounds appear brighter and sound louder. This effect is especially noticeable in the first moments after administration.

3. Alterations of consciousness

Ketamine generates alterations of consciousness that usually cause the subject to be the subject is cloudy, disoriented and with loss of consciousness. and with loss of the notion of time.

4. Hallucinations and K-Hole

K-hole is understood as the dissociative experience generated by the consumption of ketamine in which the user perceives a sensation of floating and leaving one's own body. This hallucinatory experience can be experienced as positive and spiritual or as aversive and terrifying due to the sensation of leaving the body (the "bad trip"). Apart from this experience, it can also generate other hallucinations.

5. Amnesia

Ketamine causes a powerful amnesia of what happened after its administration, which is why it is used in medical practice as general anesthesia. However, this characteristic, together with its sedative action, has led to the use of ketamine being linked to several rape cases. has been linked to several cases of rape..

6. Analgesia

The administration of ketamine causes a powerful analgesic effect, which is used at medicinal and veterinary level in the different processes in which it is used. However, in its recreational use there is a risk of committing risky acts with consequences that can be serious due to the absence of perceived pain, such as throwing oneself down stairs, starting fights or performing certain types of jumps.

7. Disinhibition

This substance usually has a disinhibitory effect on the user, which can lead to the performance of acts that would not normally be performed or to stop taking precautions with respect to specific behaviors.

8. Incoordination and reduction of movement capacity

Ketamine generates in the individual a state of poor coordination capacity in terms of movement, which is reduced.

9. Physiological effects

The use of ketamine causes different alterations at physiological level. It generates bronchodilation and increases blood pressure and heart rate. and heart rate. It also usually causes an increase in the level of salivation. It can cause respiratory depression.

Mechanism of action

The mechanism of action through which ketamine affects our nervous system is not yet entirely clear, although it is based on its action as a NMDA receptor antagonistblocking the action of glutamate as an excitatory agent of the nervous system. It also influences from its interaction with endogenous opiate receptors.

The dissociative effects seem to be due to the alteration of the functioning of the limbic system while the depression of the thalamus-neocortical connection is generated. Also also provokes the depression of the somatosensory cortexwhich partly explains the analgesic sensations.

Risks and associated side effects

The use of ketamine has serious health risks if taken in an uncontrolled manner, such as when used recreationally.The use of ketamine has serious health risks when used in an uncontrolled manner, such as when used recreationally. Some of the risks are as follows.

1. Dependence

Ketamine is a highly addictive substance, which makes it relatively easy to tolerance and dependence (especially psychic) to it. (especially psychic) towards it.

2. Intoxication

It is not complicated to generate an intoxication by the abuse of this substance. The most common symptoms are the presence of anxiety, hallucinatory experiences such as those mentioned above, aggression, convulsions and gastrointestinal disturbances in the form of nausea and vomiting. in the form of nausea and vomiting.

3. Cognitive impairment and memory disturbances

As mentioned above, ketamine consumption produces amnesia after consumption. However, this effect seems to be potentiated and to remain in the and remain in the organism in the long term if the consumption is frequent, given that with the passage of timeThis effect seems to be enhanced and to remain in the organism in the long term if consumption is frequent, since over time it causes the destruction of a large number of neurons.

Particularly visible is short-term memory loss is particularly visible.. The cognitive performance is diminished to a great extent.

4. Depression

Although in low doses it has Antidepressant effects, when used continuously over time and in high doses this substance can generate depression in the person who consumes it.

5. Anxiety

Long-term use of ketamine causes an anxiogenic effect, especially when withdrawal syndrome occurs..

6. Cardiorespiratory alterations

Another effect of ketamine is the alteration it causes in the cardiorespiratory system. The increase in blood pressure caused by ketamine can cause severe cardiovascular disorders, arrhythmias and tachycardia. On the other hand, ketamine depresses the respiratory system, which can lead to arrest at high doses. can lead to arrest at high doses.. It can also lead to cardiorespiratory failure.

7. Destruction of the genitourinary epithelium

Numerous cases have been found of individuals suffering from pain in the genitourinary system resulting from ketamine consumption. This pain comes from the action of ketamine in the urine, which generates a destruction of the internal epithelial cells of the bladder. destruction of the internal epithelial cells of the bladder..

New indications

Although it has been used mainly as an anesthetic, several investigations have shown that ketamine seems to have a positive effect in cases of depression, with a rapid action in combating its symptoms. Apparently, this is due to the fact that this substance helps to regenerate neuronal connections. contributes to regenerate the neuronal connections that depression disrupts.

It is necessary to carry out a much more exhaustive research in this respect since the side effects of this substance can be very serious, but this fact could contribute in the near future to generate new antidepressant drugs with a faster action than the current ones.