As marijuana use becomes more commonplace, physicians are growing concerned about how it can lead to complications during surgery, WZZM 13 reported April 17.
Here are five things to know from the report:
1. Because marijuana is metabolized by the same enzymes that process many anesthesia drugs, physicians may need to use higher doses of anesthesia to keep patients sedated.
2. Marijuana use can also raise heart rate and impact blood pressure and pain management post-procedure.
3. It can also increase airway activity in some cases, potentially leading to complications like laryngospasm or bronchospasm. It can also delay gastric emptying, increasing the risk of complications while under anesthesia.
4. Physicians should encourage patients to be highly transparent about their marijuana use, regardless of whether it is daily, occasional or in edible forms, including in legal states.
5. “Cannabis isn’t harmless,” Dee Berry, CRNA and president of Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthetists, told the publication. “We’re not here to judge you. We just want to make the best plan of care.”
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