Marijuana: Risks for the Primary Care Doc
Contraindications:
Hypersensitivity to Cannabinoids
Cardiovascular Diseases including:
◦ Arrhythmia
◦ Heart failure (any kind)
◦ Poorly regulated Hypertension
◦ Ischemic heart disease
History of Psychotic Disorders
◦ (Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective)
Family History of Psychotic Disorders
History of Drug Abuse
Family history of Drug Abuse
Males intending to start a family
Children less than 18 years old
Pregnant or breast feeding females
Serious Risks:
Severe Psychiatric Side effects
◦ Psychosis
◦ Anxiety
◦ Mood Disorder
CNS Depression
◦ Decreased Cognitive Performance
◦ Impairs Short Term Memory
◦ Impairs Attention, Coordination and Balance
◦ Impairs Judgment
Impairs motor skills.
IMPAIRED DRIVING
Tachycardia
Drug Abuse Potential
Hepatic Dysfunction – Transaminitis
Interactions:
CNS Depressants adverse effects are enchanced
Anticholinergics increase tachycardia with marijuana
Cocaine worsens tachycardia with marijuana
Sympathomimetics can worsen tachycardia with marijuana
Adapted from
NIDA Research Report Series Marijuana Abuse. NIH
Pub# 10-3859
and
Handbook of the Medical Consequences of Alcohol and Drug
Abuse / John Brick, editor.-2nd ed. p. cm. And referenced articles
and
Smith,PF, “GW-1000. GW Pharmaceuticals, “Curr Opin Investig
Drugs, 2004, 5(7):748-54. {PubMed 15298072]
Author: Michael Dekker, D.O.