Before your next medical procedure, it’s a good idea to let your anesthesiologist know if you frequently use cannabis. The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) has released new recommendations that suggest heavy marijuana users may not benefit as much from anesthesia.
This implies that the likelihood of these patients experiencing more pain than usual while recovering from surgery is increased. What’s more, the recommendations warn that using drugs right before surgery increases your risk of heart problems, including heart attack.
Marijuana Use Can Leave Patients in More Pain than Usual Following Surgery.
According to the ASRA’s new recommendations, if you regularly use marijuana, you might experience excruciating pain after your next procedure. Although many people use marijuana to manage their pain, experts claim that high doses can actually make the pain worse and reverse the effects of Anesthesia.
Therefore, think about reducing your consumption before going under whether you use it recreationally or for medical reasons. Samer Narouze, MD, Ph.D., senior author of the guidelines and president of ASRA Pain Medicine, said in a statement: “Even though some people use cannabis therapeutically to help relieve pain.
Studies have shown regular users may have more pain and nausea after surgery, not less, and may need more medications, including opioids, to manage the discomfort. “We anticipate that the guidelines will act as a guide to better care for patients who use cannabis and require surgery.”
Edibles Have a Stronger Effect than Smoking Marijuana.
Marijuana is the second most commonly used psychotropic drug after alcohol, with about 10% of Americans using it on a monthly basis, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Additionally, marijuana edibles are becoming more and more popular.
According to the National Institutes of Health, this is probably because people are becoming more aware of the negative effects of cannabis use, such as the increased risk of cancer and lung disease (NIH). While using marijuana edibles instead of smoking will lower your risk of developing chronic diseases, they do carry some inherent health risks.
The NIH claims that since edibles take longer to digest and give off a higher, people frequently ingest more of them to get high faster, which can have potentially harmful consequences. Furthermore, routinely ingesting high THC concentrations from edibles may raise the risk of addiction.
Marijuana Use Can Increase Nausea and Interfere with Painkillers After Surgery.
In addition to increasing the need for potent and addictive medications, ASRA’s recommendations state that heavy marijuana usage may exacerbate nausea and impair the effectiveness of painkillers after surgery.
The guidelines are supported by scientific research. For instance, a 2018 study that was published in Patient Safety in Surgery examined 261 patients from four trauma centers and discovered that cannabis users drank more medicines overall and had higher pain levels than non-users.
Disclose Your Marijuana Use Before Surgery.
The major recommendation from the guidelines is to tell your doctor or anesthesiologist that you consume cannabis before having any medical procedures done. A speedy, healthy recovery vs a drawn-out, painful one may result from doing this.
“Anesthesiologists should ask patients if they use cannabis before surgery, whether for medical or recreational purposes and be ready to perhaps alter the anesthetic plan or delay the procedure in some circumstances,” suggested Narouze. Also, they must inform patients of cannabis’ potential dangers and consequences.
