Plasma Concentration of Ketamine and Norketamine .
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2015-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Oral ketamine is increasingly used by doctors to both reduce the amount of narcotic pain
medication consumed and to improve chronic pain management in difficult cases. How much is
absorbed when taken orally, as opposed to intravenously ,is unknown. Ketamine may cause
sedation, and occasionally cognitive impairment. Therefore, there are safety concerns
associated with its usage as an out-patient may engage in activities where cognitive
impairment is dangerous,such as driving. This study is designed to measure the plasma
concentrations of ketamine and its active metabolite, norketamine, in people taking low dose
oral ketamine for chronic pain. The goal of the study is to verify that low dose oral
ketamine produces plasma concentrations below the level associated with toxic symptoms,and
thus can be safely used long-term for the treatment of chronic pain .