The Clinical journal of pain
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of small doses of ketamine with morphine to decrease procedural pain responses during open wound care.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in pain intensity, pain quality, physiological measures, and adverse effects when patients received morphine with saline (MS) compared with morphine and a small dose of ketamine (MK) before an open wound care procedure (WCP). ⋯ Ketamine with morphine significantly reduced procedural wound pain intensity during WCP. Adverse effects and higher diastolic BP occurred with MK. Further research is warranted to determine the optimal analgesic dose of ketamine or if the addition of a benzodiazepine would mitigate the psychotomimetic effects of ketamine.