The use of ketamine as a neuroprotective agent following cardiac arrest: A scoping review of current literature

Aims The objective of this article is to summarize the state of the literature surrounding the use of ketamine as a neuroprotective agent following cardiac arrest. Methods Five electronic databases were used to search for studies related to the use of ketamine for neuroprotection following cardiac arrest. This search was performed once in May 2020, and an updated search was conducted in May 2021 and March 2022. Results All searches combined retrieved 181 results; no clinical trials were identified. As such, the authors were limited to writing a scoping review of the literature rather than a systematic review. Conclusions The current state of the literature describes the mechanism of action of ketamine as a neuroprotective agent through its action as an NMDA antagonist. There is evidence of its efficacy as a neuroprotective agent in preclinical models of cardiac arrest. Current published clinical work supports the use of ketamine ameliorating neurologic outcomes in other conditions such as epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and depression. The current state of the literature is reflective of the notion that the use of ketamine following cardiac arrest may result in improved neurologic outcomes. Future research directions should focus on the use of ketamine as a possible clinical intervention following cardiac arrest.