What it means
A drug that puts a person in a trance-like state with pain relief and memory loss while breathing and airway reflexes are mostly kept. It is given IV or IM for anesthesia, for painful procedures (often in children and emergency care), and in low doses for pain. Unlike most anesthetics, it tends to raise heart rate and blood pressure. On waking, some people have vivid dreams, confusion or hallucinations (emergence reactions).
For the nurse
Monitor breathing, oxygen saturation, heart rate and blood pressure during and after use, with airway equipment ready. Keep the recovery area quiet and calm to lower emergence reactions. General anesthetics are on the ISMP high-alert list.
At a glance
| Drug class | general anesthetic (dissociative) |
|---|---|
| Brand names | Ketalar |
| Spanish | ketamina |
| Also written | Ketalar |
Easy to confuse with
ketorolac
A strong NSAID pain drug, given by injection, by mouth or as a nasal spray, for short-term moderate to severe pain.
Related terms
anesthetic
A drug that causes loss of feeling, with or without loss of consciousness.
anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation, often brought on by drugs so that surgery or a procedure can be done without pain.
sedation
A calm, relaxed or sleepy state brought on by drugs, or the use of drugs to cause it.