The use of ketamine and methohexital as intravenously administered anæsthetic agents for electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) was compared in a double-blind trial. No difference was found between the two drugs regarding their influence on blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rates. Patients given ketamine took significantly longer (5.6 minutes) to become well orientated, and over half suffered side effects, especially nausea and ataxia, which did not occur with the use of methohexital. It is concluded that ketamine is not suitable as a routine anæsthetic agent for ECT at the dosage given intravenously in this trial (1 mg/kg).
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McInnes et al. (1972) studied this question.
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