paracetamol + ketamine

Paracetamol + ketamine is a combination medication used for pain management in various clinical settings. This combination leverages the complementary mechanisms of action of both drugs to provide enhanced analgesia with potentially fewer side effects than higher doses of either drug alone. **Mechanism of Action:** - **Paracetamol** works primarily by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis and has both analgesic and antipyretic properties. It's also believed to be related to the serotonin system and may interfere with nociception related to spinal NMDA receptor activation. - **Ketamine** is a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist that acts post-synaptically to reduce the hyperexcitability of spinal nociceptors. It also has antinociceptive effects by inhibiting sodium and voltage-dependent calcium channels. The combination has demonstrated synergistic analgesic effects, particularly when ketamine is used at low doses (0.5-1 mg/kg). This allows for effective pain management while minimizing the side effects associated with higher doses of ketamine.

Other names

acetaminophen + ketamine