Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: what doctors need to know about cannabis-related cyclic vomiting
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is an under-diagnosed condition in chronic cannabis users characterized by cyclic vomiting, abdominal pain, and relief from hot showers, with complete cannabis cessation as the only cure.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
CHS manifests as incoercible cyclical vomiting, diffuse abdominal pain, and compulsive hot showering in chronic cannabis users. Patients typically experience years of diagnostic delay, repeated emergency visits, and unnecessary invasive examinations before correct diagnosis.
Key Numbers
Literature spans 2004-2019. Diagnostic delay is typically several years. Patients make frequent emergency department visits before correct diagnosis.
How They Did This
Literature review of scientific articles published between 2004 and 2019 from Cochrane, Medline, PubMed, and PsycInfo databases using keywords "hyperemesis," "cannabis," and "cannabinoid."
Why This Research Matters
As cannabis use increases, more people may develop CHS without being correctly diagnosed. Physicians unfamiliar with the condition subject patients to years of expensive, invasive testing when the clinical presentation is actually distinctive and recognizable.
The Bigger Picture
CHS challenges the perception that cannabis is entirely benign. As legalization expands and use increases, healthcare systems need to train clinicians to recognize this condition early, saving patients from unnecessary suffering and the healthcare system from avoidable costs.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
This is a narrative literature review, not a systematic review with defined quality assessment. Prevalence data for CHS are limited. The pathophysiology of CHS, including why hot showers provide relief, remains poorly understood.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why do only some chronic cannabis users develop CHS?
- ?What is the mechanism behind hot shower relief?
- ?Is there a genetic predisposition?
- ?Could any treatment besides complete cessation provide lasting relief?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Diagnostic delay for CHS is typically several years despite distinctive symptoms
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: literature review covering 15 years of published cases, though prevalence data are limited.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: a review of the literature.
- Published In:
- Psychiatria Danubina, 31(Suppl 3), 390-394 (2019)
- Authors:
- Deceuninck, Eleonore, Jacques, Denis
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02004
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
CHS is a condition in chronic cannabis users characterized by episodes of severe cyclic vomiting, abdominal pain, and a compulsive need to take hot showers. Symptoms resolve completely when cannabis use stops.
Why does it take so long to diagnose CHS?
Many physicians are unfamiliar with CHS, so patients undergo extensive testing for other causes of vomiting. The connection to cannabis use is often overlooked because cannabis is widely perceived as an anti-nausea agent.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02004APA
Deceuninck, Eleonore; Jacques, Denis. (2019). Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: a review of the literature.. Psychiatria Danubina, 31(Suppl 3), 390-394.
MLA
Deceuninck, Eleonore, et al. "Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: a review of the literature.." Psychiatria Danubina, 2019.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: a review of the literature..." RTHC-02004. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/deceuninck-2019-cannabinoid-hyperemesis-syndrome-a
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.