Over the weekend, the autopsy report of "Friends" star Matthew Perry was released. Perry, 54, who was found in his home pool on Oct. 28, died due to widespread effects of ketamine, according to the report. It was also determined that drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed to his death. The latest information about the death of the beloved actor has drawn renewed attention to ketamine - a drug with a complex and multifaceted history. While Perry's death has been attributed to the "acute effects" of ketamine, it is important to remember that this drug has a variety of legitimate medical uses, and a growing body of research examining its potential benefits. We used Bard to break down the good and bad sides of ketamine.
In veterinary medicine, ketamine is used as an anesthetic and analgesic for animals, and mainly as a sedative and analgesic for horses. Because of this, it became known as the "horse drug". His other street names are "Vitamin K", "Kit Kat", "Valium Cats", "Super C" and "Indian K".
Ketamine was originally developed in the 60s as an anesthetic for use on battlefields, due to its rapid analgesic effect and minimal side effects. It can be used for anesthesia, especially in patients who are difficult to perform intubation (intubation - insertion of a plastic tube through a patient's nose or mouth to ensure the passage of air to and from the lungs) and in veterinary medicine. Ketamine is effective in managing chronic pain, especially neuropathic pain, i.e. those caused by nerve damage. It is also used when other painkillers do not help.
In addition, ketamine has been used in mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Research on ketamine's potential for treating mental health issues is ongoing, but early results have shown promise. Ketamine appears to work differently from traditional antidepressants, producing faster and more lasting relief for some patients.
However, the use of ketamine involves risks and side effects such as dissociation, the patient's feeling of detachment from himself and the environment, bladder damage and addiction.
In Israel, since 2020, a drug called esketamine, an active derivative of ketamine, has been marketed in a supervised manner under the name Spravato. Its use is intended to treat depression in patients who do not respond to at least two previous types of treatment. It is given in combination with antidepressants from the SSRI or SNRI family. It is prescribed only in designated centers and is not issued in pharmacies, due to its serious side effects. The use of ketamine without a doctor's supervision is prohibited in the country, and the drug is included in the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.
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