ketamine

Meaning

1. 1noununcountablemedicaltechnical

   A strong drug used in medicine to put patients to sleep or stop pain, which can also cause hallucinations and is abused as a recreational drug.

   Grammar: Not used with an or an: a dose of ketamine, not a ketamine.

   Patterns

   • a dose of ketamine
   • treated with ketamine

   The vet gave the horse ketamine before the operation.

   Ketamine can cause hallucinations and confusion.

   Doctors are studying ketamine as a treatment for severe depression.

Common combinations

ketamine therapy

Ketamine therapy is offered at some specialist clinics.

ketamine infusion

She received a ketamine infusion under medical supervision.

administer ketamine

Paramedics may administer ketamine for severe pain.

ketamine abuse

Ketamine abuse can damage the bladder.

ketamine anesthesia

The surgery used ketamine anesthesia.

Synonyms and how they differ

anesthetic

Anesthetic is the general class of drugs that block pain or consciousness, while ketamine is one specific drug.

sedative

Sedative calms or sleeps a patient, whereas ketamine can also cause a dreamlike detached state.

tranquilizer

Tranquilizer is a broad term for calming drugs, while ketamine works differently and produces dissociation.

Word family

ketamine-assisted adjective

describing therapy that uses ketamine

anesthesia noun

loss of feeling caused by drugs for surgery

anesthetic noun

a drug that blocks pain or consciousness

dissociative adjective

causing a feeling of being detached from yourself

Commonly confused: ketamine or ketone?

Practice

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