Final answer:
Apnea caused by ketamine often includes symptoms like confusion, gasping for air, and metabolic acidosis, which can lead to life-threatening conditions including ketoacidosis, and potentially fatal outcomes if left untreated.
Step-by-step explanation:
Apnea due to ketamine typically presents with a variety of symptoms including possible cherry-red skin and possible cyanosis, confusion, nausea, patients gasping for air, seizures prior to death, and metabolic acidosis. These manifestations align with ketoacidosis, a severe condition that can lead to diabetic coma if left undetected and improperly treated.
It is characterized by deep, rapid breathing, fruity-smelling breath due to exhalation of acetone, and can progress to temperature instability, apnea, bradycardia, hypotension, and eventually, if untreated, may be fatal. The misuse of pharmacological agents like ketamine can affect the respiratory centers, causing a decrease in the respiratory rate, which can lead to symptoms similar to those of central sleep apnea.
The condition can be exasperated by substances that cause muscle relaxation, leading to apnea during sleep due to the collapse of soft tissues in the throat. In the context of general anesthetics, which are often administered as volatile liquids or gases, it is crucial to monitor patient and machine parameters carefully to avoid complications such as apnea and maintain adequate oxygenation.