If Ketamine Is So Great, Why Won ’t My Institution Let Me Use it? (FR436)

In our current context of a national opioid shortage, Palliative Care teams need to look at alternative options that can provide equal or better analgesia. While there is an emerging evidence base for the use of ketamine in the treatment of refractory depression1, the evidence base for the use of ketamine for palliation of pain remains thin, though primarily positive.2, 3 Ketamine has been used topically, orally and intravenously for the palliation of pain, and orally and intravenously for the treatment of refractory depression, though it is FDA approved only as an anesthetic.

Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - January 23, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Authors: Kira Skavinski, Solomon Liao, Jamie Fertal, Rosene Pirrello Source Type: research