We continue working our way through the alphabet in my drug pronunciation series. We’re on the letter “K,” and today’s drug is ketamine. In this episode, I divide ketamine into syllables, tell you which syllable to emphasize, and share my sources. Written pronunciations are helpful, so look below for the written pronunciation. Once you’ve listened to this episode, practice saying ketamine. Repetition is the key to mastery. Ketamine = KEH-tuh-meen Keh, like kegTuh, like tugAnd meen, as in, “Bullies are mean!” Emphasize KEH. Sources: My clinical experience as a pharmacist, Google, and m-w.com. I like how Google and M-W divide the syllables and pronounce the drug name. Thank you for listening to episode 322 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast. The FULL show notes (including all links) are on https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 322. If you know someone who would like to learn how to say ketamine, please share this episode with them. Subscribe for all future episodes. This podcast is on all major podcast players and YouTube. Popular links are below. ⬇️ Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Why do few generic drug names start with “K?" Did you know that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council advises against using the letter "K" in generic drug names? Some languages struggle with pronouncing “K.” In fact, four letters are generally avoided in naming drugs: H, J, K, and W. While the USAN guideline applies to generic drug names, brand-name drugs also tend to avoid these letters. A Fun Thought Experiment If you’ve ever been told not to do something and immediately wanted to do it, you’re not alone! Just for fun, I combined all four of the "forbidden letters" into a made-up drug name: Jawkherol Sounds like a treatment for TMJ, doesn’t it? Common Mispronunciations to Avoid Some sources—including YouTube videos with thousands of views—incorrectly pronounce ketamine. Here are three examples of how NOT to say it: KET-a-MINket-a-MEENKEET-a-meen Mispronunciations can lead to confusion, especially for non-native English speakers or healthcare professionals giving presentations. That’s why I create these episodes—to combat misinformation and make learning drug names easier. Thanks for listening! Recommend a drug name for this series via email: kim@thepharmacistsvoice.com ⭐️ Click the link https://bit.ly/3AHJIaF to sign up for The Pharmacist’s Voice ® monthly email newsletter! Host Background: Kim Newlove has been an Ohio pharmacist since 2001 (BS Pharm, Chem Minor). Her experience includes hospital, retail, compounding, and behavioral health. She is also an author, voice actor (medical narrator and audiobook narrator), podcast host, and consultant (audio production and podcasting). Links from this episode USP Dictionary Online (Subscription-based resource) USP Dictionary’s pronunciation guide (Free resource, American Medical Association’s website) Merriam Webster’s Dictionary online https://www.m-w.com USAN Naming Guidelines https://www.ama-assn.org/about/united-states-adopted-names/united-states-adopted-names-naming-guidelines The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 320, Pronunciation Series Episode 50 (Jantoven) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 318, Pronunciation Series Episode 49 (ipratropium) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 316, Pronunciation Series Episode 48 (hyoscyamine) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 313, Pronunciation Series Episode 47 (guaifenesin) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 311, Pronunciation Series Episode 46 (fluticasone) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 309, Pronunciation Series Episode 45 (empagliflozin) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 307, Pronunciation Series Episode 44 (dapagliflozin) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 304, Pronunciation Series Episode 43 (cetirizine) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 302, Pronunciation Series Episode 42 (buspirone) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 301, Pronunciation Series Episode 41 (azithromycin) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 298, Pronunciation Series Episode 40 (umeclidinium) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 296, Pronunciation Series Episode 39 (Januvia) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 294, Pronunciation Series Episode 38 (Yasmin) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 292, Pronunciation Series Episode 37 (Xanax, alprazolam) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 290, Pronunciation Series Episode 36 (quetiapine) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 287, pronunciation series ep 35 (bupropion) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 285, pronunciation series ep 34 (fentanyl) The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Ep 281, Pronunciation Series Ep 33 levothyroxine (Synthroid) The Pharmacist...
