Low-dose ketamine shows promise for pain relief in emergency department patients

Des Plaines, IL — A new study that investigates low-dose ketamine (LDK) as an adjunct to morphine for treating acute pain has been published in the October issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), the peer-reviewed journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM).

The study, titled Low-dose ketamine as an adjunct to morphine: A randomized controlled trial among patients with and without current opioid use highlights the potential of low-dose ketamine as a valuable tool in pain management, providing a safe and effective option for emergency medicine physicians managing acute pain. 

Pain remains one of the most common and challenging complaints among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). For individuals with opioid tolerance, achieving effective pain relief can be particularly difficult, as they often require higher doses of opioids, which increases risks of hyperalgesia and withdrawal symptoms. In their randomized, placebo-controlled trial, lead author Stine Fjendbo Galili, MD, and colleagues explored the effectiveness of LDK as an adjunct to morphine in a diverse ED population with varying levels of opioid use. The study demonstrated that a single dose of 0.1 mg/kg of ketamine provided significant reductions in pain scores for 30 minutes compared to a placebo. 

The study concluded that LDK may be an effective short-term adjunct analgesic to morphine for managing acute pain, offering relief to both opioid-tolerant and opioid-naïve patients. Importantly, the findings open the door for future research to refine low-dose ketamine administration methods, such as bolus or continuous infusions, to achieve longer-lasting pain relief. 

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ABOUT ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Academic Emergency Medicine, the monthly journal of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, features the best in peer-reviewed, cutting-edge original research relevant to the practice and investigation of emergency care. The above study is published open access and can be downloaded by following https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14983. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact Laura Giblin at lgiblin@saem.org.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY FOR ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE

SAEM is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of care of the acutely ill and injured patient by leading the advancement of academic emergency medicine through education and research, advocacy, and professional development. To learn more, visit saem.org.