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Ketamine Implicated in New Onset Seizure
Christopher W Meaden1, Stacey Barnes1
1St. Joseph's University Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Paterson, New Jersey.
Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine
|November 26, 2019
Summary
Ketamine, used for procedural sedation, may rarely induce seizures, even in patients without a history of epilepsy. This case highlights a potential adverse event for emergency providers to consider.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Ketamine is a widely used anesthetic in emergency departments for procedural sedation and pain management.
- Its benefits include rapid onset and minimal respiratory depression.
- Known side effects encompass emergence reactions, hallucinations, hypertension, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
Observation:
- A case study involving a patient undergoing procedural sedation with ketamine as a single agent.
- The patient had no prior history of seizures.
Findings:
- The patient developed a seizure following ketamine administration.
- This suggests ketamine may potentially induce seizures, an effect not previously documented in patients without a seizure history.
Implications:
- This case presents a novel adverse effect of ketamine, potentially inducing seizures.
- Emergency providers should be aware of this rare possibility, especially when considering ketamine for procedural sedation.
- Further research is warranted to understand this phenomenon and its implications for patient safety.
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