Side-effects associated with ketamine use in depression: a systematic review

Publication date: Available online 27 July 2017 Source:The Lancet Psychiatry Author(s): Brooke Short, Joanna Fong, Veronica Galvez, William Shelker, Colleen K Loo This is the first systematic review of the safety of ketamine in the treatment of depression after single and repeated doses. We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Databases and identified 288 articles, 60 of which met the inclusion criteria. After acute dosing, psychiatric, psychotomimetic, cardiovascular, neurological, and other side-effects were more frequently reported after ketamine treatment than after placebo in patients with depresssion. Our findings suggest a selective reporting bias with limited assessment of long-term use and safety and after repeated dosing, despite these being reported in other patient groups exposed to ketamine (eg, those with chronic pain) and in recreational users. We recommend large-scale clinical trials that include multiple doses of ketamine and long-term follow up to assess the safety of long-term regular use.
Source: The Lancet Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research