The medical world is sounding the alarm about the increasing use of ketamine among young people. Its systematic use damages the bladder, kidneys and urinary tract. “The long-term complaints are terrible,” warns urologist Wouter van der Sanden in Goedemorgen Nederland on NPO 1.
Van der Sanden is a urologist at the Jeroen Bosch Hospital in Den Bosch and saw the number of patients in his department increase. They were mainly young people, who had complaints in their bladder, kidneys and/or urinary system after frequent use of ketamine. Because little was known about the drug and how to treat the patients, Van der Sanden decided to start a special outpatient clinic in 2022.
“When we started this, we saw an average of two or three patients per month. Now that’s about 20 per month. We now have about 200 patients under treatment. Almost exclusively in their twenties and thirties,” says the doctor.
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‘Terrible complaints’
In recent years, the use of ketamine among young people has increased significantly. Where the drug was initially a niche, it is now a mainstream drug. “It is considered relatively safe, because you experience few complaints from it in the short term,” says Van der Sanden as the reason why ketamine became popular overnight.
The urologist warns that ketamine has an addictive effect. “If you are addicted, you will get terrible complaints in your bladder and kidneys in the long term.”
More clarity
Meanwhile, more and more young people are reporting to Van der Sanden’s outpatient clinic. “There needs to be more clarity, because ketamine is indeed a drug that should be considered unsafe,” the urologist calls.
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He wants users to have a better idea of the long-term consequences. He also wants healthcare providers to have a better idea of the problems of systematic ketamine use. “If young people have to urinate a lot and have extreme pain in their bladder and pelvis, healthcare providers should ask them about ketamine use.”
If it is determined that ketamine is the cause of the symptoms, Van der Sanden urges his colleagues to call for help quickly and in time. “It is a disease that can be cured.”
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