Ketamine overdose is a likely and fatal condition that results from consuming too much ketamine and requires immediate treatment. When looking for ketamine overdose treatment, you should ideally call emergency services and perform basic care, such as ensuring proper breathing and monitoring their symptoms.
As ketamine continues to be used as an effective treatment for pain management, depression, and addiction, the need for ketamine overdose treatment and prevention is also on the rise. Understanding how ketamine overdose occurs and knowing what steps to take in an emergency can make the difference between recovery and long-term harm.1
If you or someone you love is at risk of a ketamine overdose, Nurture Nexus Recovery Center offers substance abuse treatment and ketamine addiction interventions in Texas.
5 Steps For Getting Emergency Treatment for Ketamine Overdose
Ketamine overdose should always be treated as a medical emergency to avoid fatal consequences. If you or someone around you is showing signs of a ketamine overdose, you should take the following steps:
1. Call Emergency Services Immediately
Your first step should be to call for emergency services and clearly explain the situation of the person at risk. Since emergency responders are trained to manage airway issues, breathing problems, and cardiovascular instability, they can provide the necessary first aid until the individual reaches a hospital.2
When emergency services arrive, make sure to inform them about:
- The substance used
- The estimated amount taken, if known
- Whether other substances were involved
- Current symptoms and level of consciousness
2. Ensure the Person’s Airway and Breathing Are Clear
Individuals suffering from a ketamine overdose are at risk of choking on vomit or sudden cardiovascular collapse.3 You should:
- Lay the person on their side if they are semi-conscious to avoid choking and asphyxiation.
- Avoid putting anything in their mouth and ensure they don’t have any food or gum they could accidentally choke on.
- Monitor breathing levels closely and be ready to explain any changes in detail to emergency help when it arrives.
3. Avoid Giving Other Substances or Fluids
Do not give food, water, alcohol, or any other substances to someone experiencing a ketamine overdose. Since the individual is already at risk of choking, any external substances and fluids can put their life at risk.
Similarly, no substance can ‘counteract’ a ketamine overdose, hence you do not need to administer any medical care apart from step 2.
4. Stay With the Person Until Help Arrives
Ketamine overdose symptoms tend to progress and can go from confused and agitated, to unconscious within a matter of minutes. Instead, stay with the affected individual until help arrives and keep an eye on their symptoms and condition.
5. Cooperate Fully With Emergency Medical Providers
When paramedics or emergency responders arrive, provide honest and complete information. You may feel worried about mentioning additional substances or the extent of ketamine use to avoid legal consequences, but withholding information can be fatal in such critical situations.
Emergency services are primarily at the scene to provide care to the person suffering from a ketamine overdose and to prevent the preventable loss of life.
What Is Ketamine and How Does Overdose Occur?
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that affects perception, consciousness, and pain sensation. Although it is commonly used by healthcare providers for depression treatment and anesthesia, it is also abused recreationally, which can lead to overdose.3
Some of the main reasons for a ketamine overdose include:
- Taking high or repeated doses
- Using ketamine of unknown purity
- Combining ketamine with alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, or other depressants
- Low tolerance or individual sensitivity to the drug
- Underlying medical or mental health conditions
Does Ketamine Overdose Require Immediate Treatment?
Ketamine abuse can cause dissociative effects that prevent the individual from seeking help themselves during an overdose; the situation almost always calls for medical intervention.
While ketamine does not always suppress breathing as aggressively as opioids, it can still cause dangerous respiratory depression, severe confusion, cardiovascular instability, and loss of consciousness.4
How Ketamine Overdose Is Treated in a Medical Setting
Although there isn’t any specific medication or procedure to reverse the effects of a ketamine overdose, treatment in a medical setting can help stabilize the individual and prevent fatal complications.
Usually, the treatment includes:
- Continuous monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and breathing
- Oxygen therapy or airway support if breathing is impaired
- Intravenous fluids to maintain hydration and circulation
- Medications to manage agitation, anxiety, or severe hallucinations
- Observation until mental status stabilizes
Once the individual regains consciousness and isn’t suffering from serious symptoms, they may be referred to a treatment center with their consent, or their family could stage a ketamine addiction intervention on their behalf.5
Expert Opinion on the Danger of Ketamine Overdose
“Ketamine overdose has the potential of being fatal or affecting you for the rest of your life. In serious cases, it can cause permanent damage to the body and brain. If you fear you or someone you love is getting addicted to ketamine, an intervention can help them understand the importance of professional treatment.”
-Dr. Oluwole Popoola
What Are the Symptoms of Ketamine Overdose?
Recognizing the symptoms of a ketamine overdose can help you intervene before things get out of hand. You primarily need to look out for:
Mild to Moderate Symptoms
- Extreme confusion or disorientation
- Slurred speech
- Impaired coordination or inability to stand
- Nausea and vomiting6
- Anxiety, panic, or agitation
- Increased heart rate or blood pressure
Severe or Life-Threatening Symptoms
- Lack of consciousness
- Stroke-like symptoms
- Slow, shallow, or irregular breathing
- Bluish lips or fingertips
- Severe chest pain or heartburn
- Seizures
- Inability to respond to stimulation
- Intense hallucinations with confusion or aggression
How Quickly Do Ketamine Overdose Symptoms Progress?
Ketamine overdose symptoms tend to progress rapidly and can go from mild to fatal in just a few minutes. This is one of the main reasons why you cannot delay medical treatment for overdose cases, and you should call for help immediately.7
It is important to remember that not everyone faces the same symptoms for a ketamine overdose, and any changes in their behavior or condition should be treated as a high-risk case.
What You Can Do to Prevent Ketamine Overdose
Since a Ketamine overdose doesn’t have a specific treatment plan or ‘cure’, preventing it from occurring is often the best way to avoid medical complications. If you suspect you or someone you love is at risk of a ketamine overdose, consider prevention methods such as:
- Monitor ketamine intake and ensure it is according to prescription and not used recreationally.
- Ensure ketamine is not being mixed with other substances and medications during the intake period.
- Reach out for help when you feel that cravings are beginning to spiral out of control and you need an intervention.
Nurture Nexus Recovery Center Helps Treat Ketamine Overdose & Addiction in Texas
Ketamine addiction is contributing to the increase in overdose-related emergency room visits in Texas. Although ketamine isn’t abused as often as opioids and other drugs, it can have long-term impacts on your health and can even lead to fatal overdoses.
Nurture Nexus Recovery Center offers prescription drug addiction and substance use treatment to help you overcome Ketamine addiction and live a healthy life. All of our treatment programs are fully insured to help make addiction treatment accessible to you! Call us at (214) 838-7488 or contact us to get the help you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Ketamine Lead to Long-Term Health Issues?
Yes, chronic ketamine abuse can lead to the development of cardiovascular and psychological issues if left unchecked. In severe cases of overdose, it can also lead to loss of life.
What Medications Are Used to Treat Ketamine Addiction?
Although there aren’t any specific FDA-approved medications to treat ketamine addictions, many rehabs and treatment centers use SSRIs and other medications to address the physical and mental symptoms of the addiction and correct addictive behavior through psychotherapy.
Can You Get a Ketamine Overdose From Prescription Ketamine?
Prescription ketamine is often in very small amounts, but having larger and more frequent doses, especially mixed with other substances, can increase the chances of an overdose.
Will Insurance Cover My Ketamine Addiction Treatment Costs?
Yes, most state-funded and private insurances offer coverage for a great portion, if not all, of the addiction treatment costs.
Additional Resources
- Top 5 Ways to Stage Intervention For Ketamine Addiction
- Finding Substance Abuse Treatment in Fort Worth, TX: What to Look For
- Your Ultimate Guide to Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers in Texas
- 5 Symptoms of a Dry Drunk: How to Spot and Support One
- How To Find Substance Abuse Treatment Near Me? What to Know
