re: Drugs. Pain meds. Big Pharm. beat goes on.

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Ketamine, sold under the brand name Ketalar among others, is a medication mainly used for starting and maintaining anesthesia.[4] It induces a trance-like state while providing pain relief, sedation, and memory loss.[5] Other uses include for chronic pain and for sedation in intensive care.[6][7] Heart function, breathing, and airway reflexes generally remain functional.[5] Effects typically begin within five minutes when given by injection with the main effects lasting up to 25 minutes.[3][4]

Common side effects include psychological reactions as the medication wears off.[8] These reactions may include agitation, confusion, or hallucinations.[4][8][9] Elevated blood pressure and muscle tremors are relatively common, while low blood pressure and a decrease in breathing are less so.[4][9] Spasms of the larynx may rarely occur.[4] Ketamine has been classified as an NMDA receptor antagonist but its mechanism was not well understood as of 2017.[10]

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