Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome CHS

Understanding the risk factors for CHS, such as long-term marijuana use, age, gender, and sociocultural background, can help in identifying individuals who are more likely to experience these effects and risks. Cannabis, or marijuana, a plant-based substance with a storied history of medicinal, recreational, and illicit usage, has grown in social acceptance and legal recognition over the past few decades. As of September 2021, it was legalized for medicinal use in many countries and recreational use in many jurisdictions. However, as with any pharmacologically active substance, its use can lead to unforeseen complications. One such complication is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), a relatively new and somewhat mysterious condition that has emerged in the medical literature in the 21st century.

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Ultimately, observed toxicity of neem oil and azadirachtin do not match those of CHS. Other claims have implicated CHS due to use of neem oil from the seed of Azadirachta indica, or its primary insecticidal agent, azadirachtin. What’s unlikely is that CHS is attributable entirely to pesticide contamination, as some cannabis advocates have suggested.

Effects and Risk Factors of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

In Colorado, rates of CHS have doubled since 2009, when cannabis was legalized there.3 However, it is important to note that CHS often goes unrecognized by clinicians, which may lead to an extensive and costly patient workup. Diagnosis can be challenging, and CHS may be misdiagnosed as many other disorders, including cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). Although some patients who use marijuana present with CVS, there are several differentiating factors between CVS and CHS.

CHS and Marijuana Addiction

• If you are experiencing severe vomiting or other concerning symptoms, contact your health care provider.
• Current findings suggest that the body’s naturally stored cannabinoids might eventually overwhelm receptors in the gut or other systems, flipping the usual script where cannabis often helps with nausea.
• When diagnosed with CHS, patients often expect immediate relief upon stopping cannabis, but CHS frequently follows a distinct recovery timeline.
• Based on this data, it’s likely that CHS is a heritable condition that only occurs when someone with these genes uses cannabis frequently for a long period of time.

Patients can alternate between prodromal and hyperemetic phases as attacks occur and subside. Sometimes, doctors actually recommend cannabis for specific conditions like cancer-related nausea. However, these beneficial effects seem to backfire when use becomes too frequent or too heavy. The active chemicals in cannabis build up in fatty tissues over time, and researchers believe this accumulation can overstimulate receptors, fueling persistent vomiting. The same factors apply to clinicians, specialists, nurses, and pharmacists, as well as other healthcare personnel, to consider the diagnosis in any chronic vomiting disorder, and to better inform themselves regarding the condition.

How is this different to cyclical vomiting?

• Other symptoms can include abdominal pain, increased thirst and sweating.
• They affect pain transmission, gastric secretions and intestinal motility, and it is thought that these receptors are responsible for the anti-emetic properties of cannabis.
• Combination treatments did not work, demonstrating just how difficult CHS can treat.
• Another misconception is that CHS is a subtype of cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS).

This phase often leads people to seek emergency medical care due to dehydration, malnutrition, and severe discomfort. Many individuals report compulsively taking hot showers, as this amphetamine addiction treatment seems to temporarily alleviate symptoms. However, in some people, long-term marijuana use can have a near opposite effect.

• It appears in three distinct phases, a prodromal phase, a hyperemetic phase, and a recovery phase.
• One of the major barriers to successfully treating CHS is patient’s disbelief in the cause of their hyperemesis.
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the main cannabinoids in marijuana products.
• The best way to manage CHS and prevent complications is to discontinue cannabis use.
• This overstimulation can disrupt normal digestive functions, causing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
• Haloperidol exerts antipsychotic effects by antagonizing dopamine D2 receptors in the mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways.

People with CHS might also struggle with an electrolyte imbalance, which can harm the heart, kidneys, and chs syndrome other vital organs. When your internal electrolyte levels go off the rails, your body’s ability to function properly gets compromised. The rise in cannabis legalization could also mean more people have ready access to stronger strains.

• However, if cannabis use continues, the symptoms may return and worsen over time.
• Cyclic vomiting syndrome, by definition, includes sudden onset episodes of vomiting with at least four bouts per hour and typically 12 to 15 episodes per day.
• One study of just ten patients recommended a maximum treatment duration of 2 weeks to help with withdrawal symptoms from cannabis.
• Coverage typically depends on the plan, but treatments such as hospital visits, IV fluids, anti-nausea medications, and therapy for cannabis use disorder are often included.
• Still, the condition may remain under-reported, especially in places where discussing marijuana use is less accepted.