Ketalar 1g/10ml solution for injection vials

Ketalar is a medicine that is used to induce and maintain a deep and pain free sleep during surgical procedures. It also helps to block the sensations of pain and discomfort that may be experienced during surgical procedures.

Other information about Ketalar:

Ketalar is given to you by a healthcare professional. The person responsible for giving you your medicine will make sure that you get the right dose.

If you feel unwell after having the medicine then talk to your prescriber or someone involved in your medical care.

This medicine will be given to you as part of your general anaesthesia.

This medicine will be given to you as an injection. If you have any concerns about this medicine or how this will be given to you, talk to someone who is involved in your medical care.

In the case of Ketalar, the person who is responsible for giving you your medicine will make sure that you are given the correct dose.

The person responsible for giving you this medicine will stop giving you this medicine when you no longer need it.

As Ketalar will be given to you as an injection, it will usually be stored by the medical team.

Ketalar is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Ketalar can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Ketalar has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who have Ketalar:

• double vision
• eye or eyesight problems
• faster breathing rate
• faster heart rate
• feeling agitated
• hallucinations
• increased muscle tone
• nausea
• problems controlling movement
• raised blood pressure
• redness of the skin
• skin rash or rashes
• vomiting
• when recovering from the effects of anaesthesia you may: have nightmares or strange dreams; feel confused; have feelings of excitement; feel dissociated from your body; feel as if you are floating; behave irrationally

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who have Ketalar:

• feeling anxious
• heart problems
• injection site problems such as pain or skin problems
• laryngeal spasm
• loss of appetite
• lowered blood pressure
• respiratory depression or apnoea - these may occur if Ketalar is given at a high dose or injected too quickly
• slower heart rate

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who have Ketalar:

• anaphylactic reactions
• cystitis - this may occur if Ketalar is given for a long period of time
• delirium
• difficulty sleeping
• dysphoria
• feelings of disorientation
• flashbacks
• increased salivation
• obstruction of the airways

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown:

• dose tolerance
• increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure
• increased pressure in the eye
• ketamine hydrochloride dependence

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, tell the person looking after you immediately.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Ketalar:

The following types of medicine may interact with Ketalar:

If you are taking Ketalar and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.

If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Ketalar.

Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.

If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

In the case of Ketalar:

You must not drive or operate machinery for at least 24 hours after having Ketalar.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Ketalar:

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Ketalar:

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Ketalar:

You need to discuss your specific circumstances with your doctor to weigh up the overall risks and benefits of having this medicine. You and your doctor can make a decision about whether you are going to have this medicine while you are pregnant.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Ketalar:

Before you have Ketalar you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. If you wish to breast-feed after you have Ketalar you should ask your prescriber how long you need to wait before you can breast-feed. You should also ask your prescriber or midwife if you can express your milk before having Ketalar.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

Ketalar contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Ketalar before, do not have Ketalar. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.