Ketamine Use for Pain
Ketamine Use for Pain is organized by MJHS Institute for Innovation in Palliative Care.
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Expiration Date: September 19, 2022 (for physicians and non-physicians); April 17, 2024 (for nurses)
Purpose:
Pain is a common complication for cancer patients, with an incidence as high as 90% of those with advanced cancer. Intractable or refractory pain has been reported to occur in 10% to 20% of patients with cancer and is difficult to control with opioids alone. Ketamine is an NMDA antagonist anesthetic agent. Ketamine is considered one of the World Health Organization’s essential drugs for the management of refractory pain and is associated with reduced opioid consumption and reduced opioid tolerance. Although it can be used in high doses to induce general anesthesia, it is more often used outside the operating room at subanesthetic doses as a coanalgesic, usually in combination with opioids. Although ketamine has been used in palliative care, evidence has varied regarding its efficacy. Additionally, there is a great variance in practice regarding the dose, route, and frequency of delivery. In this webinar, we will review the use of ketamine in palliative care primarily for analgesia.
Objectives:
• Discuss the pharmacology, dosing, and administration of ketamine use in palliative care
• Explain the indications, contraindications, benefits, and side effects of ketamine
• Review the appropriate use of ketamine
• Discuss clinical consideration for ketamine use in palliative care
