# Rapid Improvement in Consciousness After Low-Dose Ketamine in a Patient With Acute Confusion: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A patient with acute confusion regained full consciousness quickly after a low dose of ketamine, suggesting potential neurocognitive benefits.

## Contribution

Reports a case where ketamine rapidly reversed acute confusion, suggesting new clinical applications beyond sedation.

## Key findings

- A 66-year-old patient regained full consciousness within 45 minutes of receiving 40 mg intravenous ketamine.
- No other sedatives or interventions were administered during the observed improvement.
- The findings suggest ketamine may have neurocognitive effects that could reverse acute confusion in certain cases.

## Abstract

Ketamine, widely used for procedural sedation, may possess underrecognized neuroprotective and cognitive-modulating effects. We report the case of a 66-year-old female patient who presented with acute confusion (Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 12/15; E3V4M5), likely secondary to a urinary tract infection. Remarkably, she regained full consciousness (GCS 15/15; E4V5M6) within 45 minutes of receiving 40 mg of intravenous ketamine for nasogastric tube insertion. No other sedatives or interventions were administered during this period. This observation raises the possibility that ketamine may play a role in rapidly reversing acute confusion and enhancing arousal in select clinical scenarios. While anecdotal, such findings align with emerging literature and warrant further exploration of ketamine’s neurocognitive effects beyond its established indications.