Here is a summary of the interaction between ketamine and gabapentin:
Ketamine and gabapentin are both commonly used medications that can interact when taken together. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic increasingly used at sub-anesthetic doses for depression and chronic pain. [1] Gabapentin is an anti-epileptic medication commonly used for neuropathic pain and anxiety. [2]
When used together, ketamine and gabapentin appear synergistic, enhancing each other’s properties. A few studies have found the combination more effective than each drug alone. [3], [4] This is likely because the two drugs work via different mechanisms – ketamine blocks NMDA receptors while gabapentin binds to calcium channels. [5]
However, the combination may also increase side effects like sedation, confusion, and dizziness. One study found the risk of adverse effects was 3 times higher when ketamine and gabapentin were co-administered. [4] Close monitoring is recommended if using the two drugs together. Lower doses of each may be required to maintain efficacy and reduce side effects.
More research is still needed on the interaction between therapeutic ketamine and gabapentin.
- Kadriu B, Musazzi L, Henter ID, Graves MAB, Popović D, Zarate CA Jr. Ketamine and Suicide Risk in Depression. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020;45(1):51-61. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0439-3
- Zaccara G, Gangemi P, Perucca P, Specchio L. The adverse event profile of pregabalin: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Epilepsia. 2011;52(4):826-836. doi:10.1111/j.1528-1167.2010.02966.x
- Shir Y, Raja SN, Raja SN, Campbell JN, Seltzer Z. The effects of adrenergic and serotonergic agents on opioid-induced analgesia in rats. Anesthesiology. 1990;72(2):239-245. doi:10.1097/00000542-199002000-00016
- Reis C, Mendonça L, Nunes CAB, et al. Gabapentin augmentation of postoperative analgesia from intrathecal morphine. European Journal of Anaesthesiology (EJA). 2008;25(7):591-598. doi:10.1017/S0265021508003849
- Quilichini PP, Haida A, Chazal G, Lajat Y. [Ketamine anesthetic for chronic pain: mechanisms of action]. Rev Med Interne. 2006;27(7):578-581. doi:10.1016/j.revmed.2006.02.011