Patients treated with droperidol for CHS had a median ER stay of 6.7 hours versus 13.9 hours for those receiving standard antiemetics.
Emergency physicians, toxicologists, and cannabis users experiencing cyclical vomiting.
6.7 vs. 13.9 hours ER stay
What the researchers found
Droperidol-treated CHS patients had significantly shorter hospital stays (6.7 vs. 13.9 hours, p=.014), needed fewer antiemetic doses overall, and used half as much ondansetron and metoclopramide as the non-droperidol group.
Why it matters
CHS is increasingly common and standard antiemetics are largely ineffective. Droperidol offers a potential targeted treatment that could significantly reduce ER resource use and patient suffering.
The numbers in context
689 records screened, 76 met CHS criteria; droperidol group: median stay 6.7 hours, median 137 min to discharge after last dose; no droperidol: median stay 13.9 hours, 185 min to discharge; most common droperidol dose 0.625 mg IV.
How the study worked
Retrospective review of 689 electronic medical records from a single tertiary hospital (2006-2016), identifying 76 presentations meeting CHS diagnostic criteria. Compared 37 droperidol-treated vs. 39 non-droperidol presentations.
What this study cannot tell us
Retrospective, single-center study. No randomization. Droperidol group selection may have been influenced by clinician experience or patient severity. Relatively small sample (76 presentations).
How to read the evidence
Moderate: retrospective study with significant findings, but non-randomized design.
When this study was published
Published in 2019.
The bigger picture
Between droperidol and benzodiazepines, clinicians now have two pharmacological approaches to CHS that appear to outperform traditional antiemetics. This represents a shift in how this syndrome should be managed in emergency departments.
Questions still open
- How does droperidol compare head-to-head with benzodiazepines for CHS? Could early droperidol administration prevent prolonged ER stays?
Common questions
What is droperidol?
Why don't regular anti-nausea drugs work for CHS?
Read the original research
The utility of droperidol in the treatment of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.
Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 57(9), 773-777
Citation
Lee, Carl; Greene, Shaun L; Wong, Anselm. (2019). The utility of droperidol in the treatment of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.. Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 57(9), 773-777. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2018.1564324
Explore the wider topic
- Cannabis and Your Cardiovascular System: Heart Risk, Stroke, and What the Research Shows
- Cannabis and Your Heart: What the Cardiovascular Research Shows
- Coughing Up Black Stuff After Quitting Weed: What It Means
- Lung Recovery After Quitting Weed: The Complete Timeline
- Weed and Your Lungs: Recovery Timeline After Quitting
- Quitting Weed as a Woman: Hormones, Cycles, and Recovery
- Cannabis, Weight, and Diet: What Quitting Does to Your Appetite
- Sex After Quitting Weed: What Changes and What Doesn't
- Cannabis and Driving: DUI Laws, Impairment Science, and What You Need to Know
- Weed and Acne: Can Quitting Cannabis Clear Your Skin?
- Weed and Fertility: What Couples Should Know
- Weed and Your Gut: How Cannabis Affects Digestion
- Weed and Your Heart: Cardiovascular Effects and Recovery
- Weed, Testosterone, and Male Health: What the Research Actually Shows