The Pharm So Hard Emergency Medicine & Hospital Pharmacy Podcast cover image

The Pharm So Hard Emergency Medicine & Hospital Pharmacy Podcast

Episode 120. Ketamine for Benzodiazepine-Resistant Status Epilepticus – A Game-Changer?

Jan 29, 2025
Explore the groundbreaking use of ketamine as a rescue medication for benzodiazepine-resistant status epilepticus. This research highlights its rapid ability to terminate seizures, potentially revolutionizing emergency management protocols. Insightful discussions include safety, dosing, and practical applications in the emergency department. The episode underscores the importance of considering specific patient populations and the need for further research. Plus, there's excitement about an upcoming medical conference to expand on these findings.
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Ketamine shows incredible efficacy as a rescue medication for benzodiazepine-resistant status epilepticus, rapidly terminating seizures in over 98% of cases.
  • While ketamine offers a promising alternative during critical interventions, careful consideration and further studies are needed due to potential safety concerns and patient variability.

Deep dives

The Role of Ketamine in Status Epilepticus

Ketamine is emerging as a potential rescue medication for patients experiencing benzodiazepine-resistant status epilepticus. A recent study highlighted its effectiveness in the pre-hospital setting, where it rapidly terminated seizures in over 98% of adults treated. This impressive efficacy during critical situations such as intubation redefines the approach to managing these patients. The study also noted that while ketamine typically raises safety concerns regarding hemodynamic stability, this particular research did not observe a significant increase in adverse effects, making ketamine an appealing option when traditional benzodiazepines fail.

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