Benzodiazepines resolved cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in four patients
Four patients with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome who did not respond to standard antiemetics found relief after receiving benzodiazepines.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
All four patients presented with cyclical nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in the context of chronic cannabis use. Standard antiemetics and proton pump inhibitors failed, but benzodiazepines resolved symptoms in each case.
Key Numbers
Four patients, all with documented chronic cannabis use, all failed conventional antiemetic therapy, all responded to benzodiazepines.
How They Did This
Case series of four patients admitted to an internal medicine department, all diagnosed with CHS after excluding other gastrointestinal and neurological causes.
Why This Research Matters
CHS is often misdiagnosed, leading to expensive workups and prolonged suffering. Recognizing the syndrome early and knowing that benzodiazepines may help could shorten hospital stays and reduce unnecessary testing.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis use increases, CHS is becoming more common in emergency departments. Standard antiemetics do not work for this condition, making targeted treatments like benzodiazepines particularly valuable.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small case series (n=4) with no control group. The mechanism by which benzodiazepines help CHS is proposed but not proven. Results may not generalize to all CHS patients.
Questions This Raises
- ?What is the optimal benzodiazepine dosing for CHS?
- ?Would this approach work in an outpatient setting to prevent ER visits?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 4 of 4 responded
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: small case series without controls.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- Resolution of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome with Benzodiazepines: A Case Series.
- Published In:
- The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ, 21(6), 404-407 (2019)
- Authors:
- Kheifets, Mark, Karniel, Eli, Landa, Daniel, Vons, Shelly Abigail, Meridor, Katya, Charach, Gideon
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02105
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't regular anti-nausea medications work for CHS?
CHS appears to involve CB1 receptor dysregulation rather than the pathways targeted by standard antiemetics, which is why conventional treatments often fail.
How might benzodiazepines help with CHS?
They may decrease CB1 receptor activation in the frontal cortex and reduce the anticipation of nausea and vomiting through their sedative effects.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02105APA
Kheifets, Mark; Karniel, Eli; Landa, Daniel; Vons, Shelly Abigail; Meridor, Katya; Charach, Gideon. (2019). Resolution of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome with Benzodiazepines: A Case Series.. The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ, 21(6), 404-407.
MLA
Kheifets, Mark, et al. "Resolution of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome with Benzodiazepines: A Case Series.." The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ, 2019.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Resolution of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome with Benzodia..." RTHC-02105. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/kheifets-2019-resolution-of-cannabinoid-hyperemesis
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.