The legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes nationwide has led to more patients showing up in operation rooms under the influence of cannabis. According to a US study, individuals who use cannabis regularly may require more than double the usual dose of anesthesia for surgery. The method of consuming marijuana, as well as the frequency of usage, can influence how your body reacts to anesthesia. Since marijuana and anesthesia both affect the central nervous system, individuals who regularly use marijuana may require various measures of anesthesia drugs. To prevent complications during surgery, it advised informing your doctor about prior cannabis use before surgery.
Cannabis enthusiasts usually need more significant portions of anesthesia meds to gain the desired level of sedation. If you fail to talk to your doctor about how much marijuana you smoke, the person in question may think little of how much anesthesia will be required for you to become unconscious during surgery. For instance, in contrast to nonusers, regular users of cannabis require more than threefold the amount of more propofol to accomplish satisfactory sedation for endoscopies. That is a massive step in a dose that your physician will need to administer.
The higher dose of anesthesia required for marijuana enthusiasts can prompt higher chances of issues, including low blood pressure and slowed awakening from anesthesia
To better understand how cannabis impacts the adequacy of various kinds of anesthesia, scientists examined 250 patients who had minimally invasive procedures requiring anesthesia in Colorado, which is a legal recreational marijuana state.
Twenty-five patients, or 10 percent, stated that they consistently utilized cannabis. According to the study, when compared to other patients, cannabis users required more than twice as much of the anesthetic propofol. Cannabis users additionally needed more than 14 percent of the analgesic fentanyl and more than 20 percent of the sedative midazolam.
According to lead study author Dr. Mark Twardowski of Western Medical Associates in Grand Junction, Colorado, “Cannabis users should not underestimate the effects of cannabis on medical care.”
Twardowski added an email saying that “since cannabis affects the effectiveness of these three medicines, it certainly raises myriad questions about potential effects on other essential medications”
Twardowski added that “Since cannabis stays in the body for long, it may take longer periods to ameliorate the effect,” “Patients are recommended to inform their doctors about cannabis use before surgery.”
The vast majority of the patients in the investigation experienced colonoscopies.
The study authors also noted that there is a need for more research to confirm these primary outcomes in a bigger populace of cannabis users and patients experiencing broader surgeries.
One disadvantage to this study is the likelihood that some cannabis users probably won’t have unveiled this, leaving this data separate from the medical records used by researchers for their investigation. Researchers also noted in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association that although recreational marijuana is legal where the study was conducted, stigma may have prevented a few people from reporting it.
According to the study team, the outcomes still recommend that physicians need to consider cannabis use when planning patient care and accessing medication needs.
Sources
American Osteopathic Association. (2019, April 15). Regular cannabis users require up to 220% higher dosage for sedation in medical procedures: Physicians concerned over possible rise in adverse side effects. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 25, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415172147.htm
The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, May 2019, Vol. 119, 307-311. doi:https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2019.052
Schimmel, Alexa, “Anesthetic Considerations For Patients Under The Influence Of Marijuana And/Or Cannabidiol: Anesthesia Interactions And Implications” (2019). Nurse Anesthesia Capstones. 24. https://dune.une.edu/na_capstones/24