Ketamine: Is the current 200 mg product fit for purpose in the emergency department?

Objective To describe the magnitude of ketamine doses administered in the ED, to identify an appropriate product to minimise risk of administration errors and diversion. Methods Retrospective audit of patients prescribed ketamine in two mixed adult/paediatric EDs over 12 months. Results Ketamine was administered to 386 patients (722 doses). The most common dose was <= 20 mg (52.1%), followed by 21-50 mg (30.5%). Overall, 215 patients required one dose only (71 received a dose <= 20 mg), while 299 required no more than two doses. Conclusion Over three-quarters of ketamine doses were <= 50 mg; therefore, 50 mg in 1 mL may be an appropriate product.

Automated summary

The study reveals that in the emergency department, the majority of patients receiving ketamine doses were below 50 mg, suggesting that a product with 50 mg in 1 mL may be most appropriate.