Ketamine in the Treatment of Asthma

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the role of ketamine as a smooth muscle relaxant and antihistamine, which, along with its anesthetic effects proves useful in the treatment of asthma. The paper highlights case studies performed on effectivity along with commenting on the need to exercise caution with asthmatic patients who have co-morbid cardiac disorders.

From the Paper:

"Nosworthy (1999) states that Ketamine is the induction agent most likely to be chosen when an asthmatic patient requires endotrachial intubation, providing marked patient improvement, possibly due to Ketamine's smooth muscle relaxant and antihistamine effects. Long (2003) tells us that Ketamine is often used as a method of managing bronchial spasms associated with asthma. Galbis-Reig and Rasansky (2004) presented the case of a 47-year-old male asthmatic with co-morbid depression and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with dyspnea and cough that was successfully treated with Ketamine. The patient had been using his albuterol inhaler without significant improvement prior to arriving at the ED, still smoked a pack of cigarettes a day and was taking azmacort, combivent, sertraline and methocarbamol as prescribed (Galbis-Reig & Rasansky, 2004)."

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