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Ketamine Dosage
from eMedTV.comKetamine Dosing for Maintaining General Anesthesia
Once a person is under anesthesia, additional ketamine doses may be needed to maintain an unconscious state. The ketamine maintenance anesthesia dose will vary from person to person, but is usually one half or equal to the dosage used to induce anesthesia. This dose is repeated as needed to maintain anesthesia.When used in combination with diazepam, ketamine is usually administered by a slow, continuous infusion at a dose of 0.1 mg to 0.5 mg per minute given intravenously. Diazepam 2 mg to 5 mg intravenously may also be given as needed to maintain anesthesia. Total diazepam doses are usually less than 20 mg.
General Information on Receiving Ketamine
Some considerations to keep in mind when receiving ketamine include the following:- This medication is normally administered as an injection into the vein (intravenously, or IV). It may also be given as an injection into a muscle (intramuscularly, or IM).
- The injections are administered by a trained healthcare provider, in a healthcare setting.
- Ketamine may be given alone or in combination with other anesthetic medications.
- Ketamine works best when it is given on an empty stomach. Talk to your healthcare provider beforehand about whether you can eat prior to your procedure.
- For this drug to work properly, it must be used as prescribed. This drug can be dangerous if not used under the supervision of a healthcare provider.
- If you are unsure about anything related to dosing with ketamine, please talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Written by/reviewed by: Susan Lakey, PharmD, MPH
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD