Our kidneys play an important role in removing wastes and extra fluid from the body. It helps maintain a healthy balance between water, salts and minerals in our blood.

Having said that, while substance abuse in all its forms is bad for your overall health, ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used on animals, abused for recreational purposes. It is a sedating drug which induces unconsciousness in a patient. Due to its dissociated amnesia effect, it’s also known as a “date rape drug”, says Dr. Vinod S Dibbur, Consultant – Nephrology, Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore.

Delving deeper into the effects of ketamine on the kidney, the doctor says, “Upon prolonged abuse of Ketamine, the byproducts of Ketamine accumulate in the urinary bladder, which results in chronic, usually irreversible damage (in early stages).”

“However, with continued exposure, other complications can occur such as a small shrunken urinary bladder, hydroureteronephrosis (excess fluid in the kidneys), which is found in 50% of the cases. This inevitably affects the overall functioning of the kidneys”, he adds.

Burning micturition, incontinence, increased frequency of urination, and bloody urine are some of the symptoms associated with it.