Introduction of Ketamine
Although most people will think of Ketamine as being a horse tranquiliser, it was, in fact, approved for medical use for human beings back in the early 1970s when it was used as an anaesthetic for American soldiers in the Vietnam war in battlefield surgery. As a party drug known as K or Ket, Donkey dust, Special K or Kit Kat, in the UK it first became popular in the early 1990s with the rave scene and it has become steadily more popular, especially amongst young people.
Why people use Ketamine
Ketamine is now cheaper than cocaine and ecstasy which makes it an attractive drug for both young people and those on a limited income. Roughly £20 (cheaper than a round of drinks) will buy a gram of ketamine compared with about £50 for a gram of cocaine. Ketamine can be ingested, snorted, smoked or injected. When it is used it takes around 15 minutes to take effect and the person taking it will feel euphoria, detached from their surroundings and relaxed. However, as with cocaine, ketamine can produce memory loss and heighten blood pressure which in turn affects breathing and the function of the heart.
The well known American actor, Matthew Perry, died from using ketamine in 2023 – ketamine was recorded by the coroner, as being the primary cause of his death. Traces of ketamine were also found in Liam Payne, following his death. In the UK, ketamine was banned in 2005 and then classified as a class B drug in 2014, which makes it illegal to buy or sell. It is rarely used on its own and is commonly used in conjunction with alcohol which can produce a deadly mix.
Ketamine’s increase in popularity is being accredited to people moving away from cocaine and switching to ketamine due to people becoming aware that cocaine is now being cut with the deadly drug Fentanyl. There is also worrying medical evidence that some people with mental health issues are self-medicating with ketamine as they are unable to access medical treatment due to long waiting lists. Further, there is evidence that suggests that the one time party drug is now being used by children of school age who are using it with their friends to “chill” in the local park or at home.
Impact of Ketamine on the bladder
This increase in use has in turn highlighted the fact that there is a growth in the number of young people being admitted to hospital with issues related to their bladder, directly related to their use of Ketamine. Medically this is now referred to as “Ketamine Bladder”. This condition was not originally connected to ketamine use as symptoms are similar to those from severe urinary tract infections, bladder stones or even bladder cancer. This condition is particularly prevalent amongst people aged 16 to 24, with a high percentage having to have surgery on their bladder which inevitably results in life changing consequences.
Frequent ketamine use can cause the walls of the bladder to inflame leading to cystitis. This is because when ketamine is broken down by the body and passed out in urine the metabolites produced irritate the walls of the bladder which, if left untreated, causes scarring on the walls of the bladder. A build of this scar tissue – fibrosis – is extremely difficult to treat. It is at this stage that the only option is major surgery.
The biggest concern is that ketamine bladder cannot be cured and is difficult to treat. Treatment is focused on managing the symptoms and reducing further damage that can be caused by the continued use of ketamine. Using ketamine at least 3 times a week over a period of 2 years has been proven to result in altered bladder functions. At this level of use, a reasonable number will exhibit severe urological symptoms.
For a correct diagnosis, first it is vitally important that the individual is completely honest about their use of ketamine with their GP and other health professionals. Second, there needs to be more awareness of this severe side effect of ketamine use. The government needs to put more resources into public health warning messaging that can reach those very young people who are fast becoming the most at risk.