This review clarifies the clinical distinctions between cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), which share symptoms but have different causes and treatments.
Gastroenterologists, emergency physicians, patients experiencing cyclical vomiting, and cannabis users concerned about CHS.
What the researchers found
CVS is a gut-brain interaction disorder linked to migraine and autonomic dysfunction, while CHS is directly caused by chronic heavy cannabis use. Despite overlapping symptoms, their management strategies differ significantly.
Why it matters
Many patients with cyclical vomiting use cannabis — either as a cause (CHS) or as self-treatment (CVS). Correctly distinguishing between these conditions prevents misdiagnosis and ensures appropriate treatment.
The numbers in context
Review comparing four shared clinical phases: prodromal, emetic, recovery, and interepisodic baseline health in both CVS and CHS.
How the study worked
Clinical review examining the intersection of cyclic vomiting syndrome and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, comparing their pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical phases, and management approaches.
What this study cannot tell us
Both conditions lack definitive biomarkers. The overlap between them makes differential diagnosis inherently challenging. Limited evidence on patients who may have both conditions simultaneously.
How to read the evidence
Clinical review providing practical diagnostic framework — useful for clinicians but limited by the inherent diagnostic uncertainty between these conditions.
When this study was published
Recent review addressing the increasingly relevant clinical question of differentiating these vomiting syndromes as cannabis use rises.
The bigger picture
As cannabis use increases, the overlap between CVS and CHS creates a diagnostic challenge. Patients may have CVS and develop CHS from cannabis self-medication, or CHS may be misdiagnosed as CVS, delaying the solution — stopping cannabis.
Questions still open
- Can CVS and CHS coexist in the same patient? Are there biomarkers that could definitively distinguish between the two conditions?
Common questions
How can doctors tell CVS and CHS apart?
Can someone have both CVS and CHS?
Read the original research
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome and Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Their Intersection and Joint Existence.
Gastroenterology clinics of North America, 54(3), 557-568
Citation
Yacob, Desale. (2025). Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome and Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Their Intersection and Joint Existence.. Gastroenterology clinics of North America, 54(3), 557-568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gtc.2025.05.004