930 Peri-Operative Considerations for Adult Populations Undergoing General Anaesthesia While Undergoing Ketamine Treatment
British journal of surgery July 1, 2026 K E Boyle, S S Dalkilic
Adults receiving therapeutic ketamine for conditions like depression or chronic pain may have altered responses to anesthesia during unrelated surgeries. A review of evidence from 2015 to 2025 found that these patients can develop tolerance to anesthetic induction agents and show variable cardiovascular effects, ranging from high blood pressure and rapid heart rate to blunted responses. Interactions with other psychiatric medications add to unpredictability during surgery. After surgery, some patients experience transient dissociation or perceptual disturbances that can be hard to distinguish from their baseline psychiatric symptoms. The findings underscore the need for individualized anesthetic dosing, careful hemodynamic monitoring, and better communication among clinicians, as standardized guidelines are lacking.