Ketamine bladders: what community nurses should know
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The effect of drugs on mental and
physical health are well documented. However, these consequences do not
necessarily prevent people using them either recreationally or more
regularly, with some becoming addicted to their drug or drugs of choice.
It is estimated that in 2016/17, around one in 12 (8.5%) adults aged 16
to 59 in England and Wales had taken an illicit drug in the last year
(NHS Digital, 2018). Ketamine has become increasingly popular,
especially among younger users, as it is cheap and mistakenly seen as a
‘safe’, non-addictive drug. However, the reality is that even
recreational use may have serious consequences. The effect on the
urinary system can be devastating, with users experiencing anything from
frequency and cystitis-like symptoms, to extreme debilitating pain from
the inflamed and shrunken bladder, resulting in cystectomy and urinary
diversion, and, if the kidneys are affected, renal failure and dialysis.
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