According to a study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association researchers found that patients who regularly use cannabis may require more than two times the usual level of sedation when undergoing medical procedures.

The Colorado based research team examined medical records of 250 patients who received endoscopic procedures after 2012, when the state legalized recreational Cannabis. The team looked at several common sedatives including — fentanyl, midazolam and propofol.

They found that patients who smoked or ingested Cannabis on a daily or weekly basis required 14% more fentanyl, 20% more midazolam, and 220% more propofol to achieve adequate sedation.

Based on the limited knowledge and lack of research we have on Cannabis, doctors are becoming increasingly concerned. Dr. Mark Twardowski, an internal medicine physician and his colleagues decided to conduct this research as they began noticing more patients reporting with complaints of chronic nausea, a symptom that can occur from regular cannabis use.

Dr. Twardowski and his colleagues also began to see that these very patients were requiring more sedation and experiencing more post-op seizures, prompting them to gather some data.

According to Dr. Twardowski, “Cannabis has some metabolic effects we don’t understand and patients need to know that their cannabis use might make other medications less effective. We’re seeing some problematic trends anecdotally, and there is virtually no formal data to provide a sense of scale or suggest any evidence-based protocols.”

With Cannabis use growing at a rapid rate, physicians should bare caution. With the lack of research available more studies similar to this must be conducted. Luckily, as more states begin legalizing recreational cannabis it may be easier to gather the necessary data.

Not only are more patients using Cannabis, they are also willing to admit that they are using it. With that being said it will be much easier for physicians to gather information and conduct the necessary research to advance patient care.

For more information visit ScienceDaily.

Questions: Do you know anyone who consumes Cannabis routinely? What are the best ways to inform those who consume Cannabis about the conclusions of this research?

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