During the Vietnam War, ketamine was the most widely used battlefield anesthetic because of its rapid onset, minimal negative respiratory side effects, and potent analgesic properties. It also allows the ability to maintain cardiovascular stability in trauma patients.
Ketamine was originally introduced as a dissociative anesthetic and painkiller in the 1960s, used most frequently on battlefields and in acute emergency situations. Since then, it has been added to the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines because of its wide range of pain management and sedation applications.
In the early part of this century, researchers discovered the antidepressant effects of ketamine. Study after study has continued to reinforce the effectiveness of ketamine as an antidepressant, proving that ketamine works to repair damaged neural connections and promote the development of new, healthy neural connections.
In 1974, ketamine began to be used as an adjunct to antidepressant psychotherapies in Argentina, and in the 1990s its antidepressant effects began to be studied in the US. Ketamine is rapid acting, has a short duration or action, a high lipid solubility, and can be given via multiple routes – intravenous, intramuscular, intranasal, sublingual and orally.
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