Ketamine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Ketamine is a general anesthetic sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for burns and pain. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- General Anesthetic
- Treats (across its forms)
- Burns and Pain
- Available as
- Injectable · Solution
- Sold as
- 2 products — Ketamine Hydrochloride and Ketalar
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $1 per ml — not your price
How ketamine is dosed
From the FDA label for Ketamine Hydrochloride (application ANDA074524). Other ketamine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
See Full Prescribing Information for important dosage and administration instructions. ( 2 ) • Induction of anesthesia: -- Intravenous route : Initially, 1 to 4.5 mg/kg administered slowly (over a period of 60 seconds). Alternatively, administer a dose of 1 to 2 mg/kg at a rate of 0.5 mg/kg/min. ( 2 2 ) -- Intramuscular route : Initially, 6.5 to 13 mg/kg. ( 2.2 ) • Maintenance of anesthesia: Increments of one-half to the full induction dose may be repeated as needed (2.2). Adjust the dose according to the patient's anesthetic needs and whether an additional anesthetic agent is employed. ( 2.2 ) • Supplement to other anesthetic agents: The regimen of a reduced dose of Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection supplemented with diazepam can be used to produce balanced anesthesia by combination with other agents. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Important Dosage and Administration Information Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection should be administered by or under the direction of physicians experienced in the administration of general anesthetics, maintenance of a patent airway, and oxygenation and ventilation. Continuously monitor vital signs in patients receiving Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection. Emergency airway equipment must be immediately available. Do not administer the 100 mg/mL concentration of Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection intravenously without proper dilution [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ] .…
Ketamine side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: • Hemodynamic Instability [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Emergence Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Respiratory Depression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Pediatric Neurotoxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Drug-Induced Liver Injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] The following adverse reactions associated with the use of Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection were identified in clinical studies or postmarketing reports. Because some of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Cardiovascular disorders : Elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac index; decreases in blood pressure and heart rate; arrhythmias; cardiac decompensation (in patients with suspected catecholamine depletion). Eye disorders: Diplopia, nystagmus, elevation in intraocular pressure. Gastrointestinal disorders: Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, hepatobiliary dysfunction. Biliary duct dilatation with or without evidence of biliary obstruction has been reported with recurrent use (e.g., misuse/abuse or medically supervised unapproved indications). Administration site disorders: Local pain and exanthema at the injection…
Who shouldn’t take ketamine
Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection is contraindicated in patients for whom a significant elevation of blood pressure would constitute a serious hazard [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. • Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to ketamine or to any excipient [see Adverse Reactions (6) ]. • In patients for whom a significant elevation of blood pressure would be a serious hazard ( 4 ). • Known hypersensitivity to ketamine or to any excipient ( 4 ).
Ketamine drug interactions
Theophylline or Aminophylline: Do not co-administer with Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection as concomitant use may lower the seizure threshold ( 7.1 ). Sympathomimetics and Vasopressin: Closely monitor vital signs when coadministered with Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection. Consider dose adjustment individualized to the patient’s clinical situation ( 7.2 ). Benzodiazepines, Opioid Analgesics, or other CNS Depressants: Concomitant use may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, or death. Concomitant use of opioid analgesics may prolong recovery time. ( 7.3 ). 7.1 Theophylline or Aminophylline Concomitant administration of Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection and theophylline or aminophylline may lower the seizure threshold. Consider using an alternative to Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection in patients receiving theophylline or aminophylline. 7.2 Sympathomimetics and Vasopressin Sympathomimetics and vasopressin may enhance the sympathomimetic effects of ketamine. Closely monitor vital signs when Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection and sympathomimetics or vasopressin are co-administered and consider dose adjustment individualized to the patient’s clinical situation. 7.3 Benzodiazepines, Opioid Analgesics, Or Other CNS Depressants Concomitant use of ketamine with opioid analgesics, benzodiazepines, or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol, may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] . Opioid analgesics administered concomitantly with Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection may prolong time to complete recovery from anesthesia. 7.1 Theophylline or Aminophylline Concomitant administration of Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection and theophylline or aminophylline may lower the seizure threshold. Consider using an alternative to Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection in patients receiving theophylline or aminophylline. 7.2 Sympathomimetics and Vasopressin Sympathomimetics and vasopressin may enhance the sympathomimetic effects of ketamine. Closely monitor vital signs when Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection and sympathomimetics or vasopressin are co-administered and consider dose adjustment individualized to the patient’s clinical situation. 7.3 Benzodiazepines, Opioid Analgesics, Or Other CNS Depressants Concomitant use of ketamine with opioid analgesics, benzodiazepines, or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol, may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] . Opioid analgesics administered concomitantly with Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection may prolong time to complete recovery from anesthesia.
Every ketamine product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $1 | View → |
Ketamine recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
Ketamine Hydrochloride Injectable Solution
cGMP deviations.
Wells Pharma of Houston LLC · Apr 1, 2026
ketamine HCl
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Fresenius Kabi Compounding, LLC · Feb 5, 2026
Ketamine Hydrochloride
Labeling: Incorrect or Missing Lot and/or Exp Date
STAQ Pharma, Inc. · Oct 9, 2025
KETAmine Hydrochloride Injection
Lack of Assurance of Sterility: A recent FDA inspection revealed concerns with the sterile manufacturing process.
Tailstorm Health INC · Jun 2, 2025
KETAmine Hydrochloride Injection
Lack of Assurance of Sterility: A recent FDA inspection revealed concerns with the sterile manufacturing process.
Tailstorm Health INC · Jun 2, 2025
How long ketamine keeps
No ketamine label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does ketamine expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsKetamine and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for ketamine: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadKetamine and its active metabolite appear in milk in very low levels, and its oral bioavailability is low, indicating a low risk to breastfed infants. Available data indicate that ketamine use in nursing mothers may not affect the breastfed infant or lactation. The manufacturer recommends that the use of ketamine in nursing mothers should be limited to anesthesia.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised February 15, 2026. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about ketamine
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 3,922 reports naming ketamine, and the FDA flagged 65% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- infusion site pain733 reports
- nausea486 reports
- infusion site erythema463 reports
- infusion site swelling313 reports
- headache312 reports
- diarrhoea293 reports
- dyspnoea279 reports
- fatigue215 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean ketamine caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.
Related guides
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is ketamine?
Ketamine Hydrochloride is a general anesthetic used to treat Burns, Pain.
What kind of drug is ketamine?
The FDA classifies ketamine as a general anesthetic. General anesthetics produce reversible unconsciousness by altering the brain's chemical signaling: they boost the activity of calming GABA receptors while dampening excitatory NMDA receptors. This tips the brain into a deeply sedated state that prevents awareness, memory, and pain during surgery. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take ketamine with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run ketamine against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is ketamine sold under?
We track 2 ketamine-containing products in the U.S.: Ketamine Hydrochloride and Ketalar. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does ketamine come in?
Across the brands we track, ketamine is currently marketed as injectable and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic ketamine?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic ketamine product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has ketamine been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists at least 5 recall records whose product description mentions ketamine. The most recent: Ketamine Hydrochloride Injectable Solution (Apr 1, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Ketamine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ketamine
- MLA
- “Ketamine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ketamine.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for ketamine on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.