Korean J Pain.  2009 Apr;22(1):39-46. 10.3344/kjp.2009.22.1.39.

The Effect of a Target Controlled Infusion of Low-Concentration Ketamine on the Heart Rate Variability of Normal Volunteers

• Jung JY
• Lee JH
• Lee JS
• Kim YI

• KMID: 1767815
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2009.22.1.39

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ketamine has an indirect sympathetic stimulation effect. We investigated heart rate variability (HRV) as a marker of cardiac autonomic function after a target controlled infusion (TCI) of ketamine with a plasma concentration of 30 or 60 ng/ml.
METHODS
In 20 adult volunteers, the mean of the R wave to the adjacent R wave interval (RRI), the range of RRI, the root mean square successive difference of intervals (RMSSD), the total power, the low frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz) power, the high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.4 Hz) power, the normal unit HF (nuHF), the normal unit LF (nuLF), the LF/HF ratio and the SD1 and the SD2 in the Poincare plot were measured before and after a TCI of ketamine. We observed for any psychedelic symptoms or sedation.
RESULTS
There were no differences in the mean and range of the RRI, RMSSD, total power, LF power, HF power, nuHF, nuLF, LF/HF ratio, SD1 and SD2 between before and after ketamine administration. The OAA/S score was higher and there were more psychedelic symptoms with a 60 ng/ml plasma concentration than with a 30 ng/ml plasma concentration.
CONCLUSIONS
This study did not show any effect of a low plasma concentration of ketamine on the autonomic nervous system.

Keyword

autonomic nervous system; ketamine; target controlled infusion

MeSH Terms

Adult
Autonomic Nervous System
Heart
Heart Rate
Humans
Ketamine
Plasma
Syndactyly
Ketamine
Syndactyly