TOPLINE:
A new study reveals a notable increase in ketamine detection rates in US drug overdose deaths, rising from 0.3% in 2019 to 0.5% in 2023, underscoring the growing presence of ketamine in overdose cases, often in combination with other illicit substances like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, which were found in the majority of cases where ketamine was detected.
METHODOLOGY:
- The research team analyzed data from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System, encompassing 228,668 drug overdose deaths across 45 US jurisdictions, to gain insights into ketamine’s role in overdose fatalities, utilizing death certificates, medical examiner or coroner reports, and postmortem toxicology results to determine ketamine detection and involvement.
- Trend analyses focused on 28 jurisdictions with comprehensive data, showcasing a consistent increase in ketamine detection rates over the study period, with the highest incidence observed in 2023.
TAKEAWAY:
- The study found that ketamine was detected in 912 overdose deaths, implicated in 440 deaths, and was the sole substance involved in 24 fatalities, highlighting the complexity of polysubstance use in overdose cases, with the majority of decedents being men (71%) and non-Hispanic White persons (74%).
- Among deaths where ketamine was detected, 59% also involved illicitly manufactured fentanyls, 29% methamphetamine, and 27% cocaine, illustrating the potent and often lethal combinations of substances in overdose cases.
IN PRACTICE:
The investigators emphasize the need for continued monitoring of ketamine’s role in overdose deaths, particularly in light of its increasing use in treatment-resistant depression and compounded formulations, to better understand potential drug interactions and circumstances leading to fatalities, ensuring timely and effective public health responses.
SOURCE:
This comprehensive study was led by Alana M. Vivolo-Kantor, PhD, at the Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and was published online on November 7 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
LIMITATIONS:
The study’s generalizability is limited due to the inclusion of only a subset of jurisdictions, and variations in postmortem toxicology testing protocols may have led to underestimation of ketamine detection rates, underscoring the need for standardized testing and comprehensive data collection to accurately track ketamine’s involvement in overdose deaths.
Low-level Loonies and the Ketamine Conundrum
Well, fancy a bit of ketamine, do ya? It’s like the hipster of party drugs – "I was using it before it was cool"… or, in this case, before it killed you. According to a new study, detection rates for ketamine in drug overdose deaths have gone from a piffling 0.3% in 2019 to a whopping 0.5% in 2023. I know, right? A 66% increase! That’s like the same thrill you get from binge-watching a mediocre Netflix series – utterly forgettable, yet somehow fascinating in its mediocrity.
Methodology Madness
Researchers scrutinized data from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System – quite the mouthful, eh? That’s 228,668 cases of, "Oops, didn’t mean to die from drugs"… and a cracking good job they did, sifting through death certificates, medical examiner or coroner reports, and postmortem toxicology results. It’s like combing through your Aunt Doris’s attic, searching for that prized antique that might just fetch a pretty penny on eBay.
The Takeaway: Ketamine is Clearly Cool…
Ketamine was detected in a mouth-dropping 912 (0.4%) overdose deaths. Yes, that’s basically a simple high school math problem. The scoring? Well, another cracking good job by the research brainiacs, I say! Among these poor souls, 59% also had those fun-loving fentanyls on board, while 29% had methamphetamine – because what’s a party without a little guest-star action, eh? Cocaine chipped in at 27%, because, well, it’s like the aspirin of clubbing – always useful for a banging headache.
The bottom line? Among those unfortunate cases, the unusual suspects were under 35, likely hot-blooded males (71%), and pallid, non-Hispanic White persons – because who doesn’t love the Angsty youthful melodrama?
Trend Analysis Tango
So what’s behind the rise of ketamine-related tragic events? Blame the impatient youths, I say! Between July and December 2019, only 47 fateful young gents were involved in the ketamine detected overdose shindig, whereas between January and June 2023, 107 sapped-up excess energy-tappers took part. But, sports fans, don’t get overhyped – it’s growth, sure, but we wouldn’t bet on that Armageddon swarm humanity propaganda just yet…
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Let’s try to tidy up the presentation, and, ah, keep it somewhat concise, if you please.
You see, the research on ketamine-related overdose deaths is somewhat, dare I say, underwhelming. The numbers are rather… well, not exactly staggering. From 0.3% in 2019 to 0.5% in 2023, we’re looking at an increase, yes, but not exactly an epidemic.
It’s also worth noting that many of these poor souls had a cocktail of other substances in their systems, including those naughty fentanyls, methamphetamine, and cocaine. You know, the usual suspects.
The researchers do warn us, however, that we should be keeping an eye on ketamine, as its use is becoming more… shall we say, fashionable, in certain circles. And we wouldn’t want any of our young friends getting too, ahem, adventurous, would we?
All in all, a rather sobering study (pun intended). But let’s not get too carried away with the ketamine kookiness just yet.
As for your parting shot, I’ll do my best Ricky Gervais impression: "Ah, but who’s to say? Maybe we’ll all be dropping ketamine like it’s going out of style… and it is. Out of style, that is. And also out of our systems, because we’d rather live, thank you very much!"
