Psychiatric News (2/25) reports a study found that “increasing nonmedical use of ketamine has brought with it a dramatic increase in patient complications, including ketamine use disorders, uropathy, and rare but life-threatening infection of the bile ducts.” For the study, “researchers identified 411 ketamine-related complications reported by health care professionals in France to the French Addictovigilance Network from 2019 through 2023.” They observed that “ketamine-related complications increased 16-fold, from 13 cases in 2019 to 214 in 2023. The most frequent complications were substance use disorders (33% of cases), psychiatric disorders (30%), and neurological disorders (23%), such as seizures, abnormal movements, or paresthesia.” In addition, “about 9% of patients experienced urinary tract or kidney disorders caused by ketamine use, and several required surgical treatments, including cystectomy and bladder reconstruction; 2% had biliary disorders.” The study was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
Related Links:
— “With Rise of Nonmedical Ketamine Use, Serious Complications Follow, Psychiatric News, February 25, 2026