A Case Report of Ketamine-induced Hypoglycemia in Treatment Resistance Depression

Abstract

Ketamine therapy can reduce the risk of suicide and depression in the treatment resistant patient. Adverse effects of ketamine infusion include blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, hepatotoxicity, headache, and cystitis. However, the effect of ketamine infusion on blood glucose remains unclear. This report describes several episodes of hypoglycemia in a 36-year-old man with type 1 diabetes mellitus after ketamine infusion for treatment-resistance depression. He has been receiving subcutaneous insulin injection and denied any severe hypoglycemia events in the prior 20 years. He had unsuccessful treatment for depression. His depressive conditions were subsequently improved due to ketamine therapy, however, he had recurrent hypoglycemia episodes. Clinicians should be aware of this potential adverse effect on initiating ketamine infusion with patients who had type 1 diabetes.