Can cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome be fatal?

shutterstock.com/Stanimir G. Stoev 2.5 out of 5 stars Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Reports of Fatal Cases. Nourbakhsh M et al. J Forensic Sci 2018 May 15 [Epub ahead of print] Abstract This paper reports on 2 fatal cases that the authors argue were attributable to the effects of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). CASE #1: A 27-year-old woman is brought to hospital by ambulance after friend found her unresponsive with agonal respirations. On arrival she was apneic with bradycardia and decorticate posturing. Pupils were fixed and dilated. Serum glucose was 34 mg/dL. After presentation she deteriorated and could not be resuscitated. The patient had an 8-year history of cyclic nausea and vomiting for which no specific cause was found after extensive workup. She also had a long history of smoking marijuana. Two days before this final presentation she had been evaluated for severe nausea and vomiting, and discharged home after symptomatic improvement. Gross and histologic findings at autopsy did not reveal a specific causes of death. Extensive toxicology testing was positive for Delta-9-THC and Carboxy-THC. Tests of vitreous humor showed hyponatremia, hypochloremia, hypoglycemia, and elevated urea and creatinine. (Strangely, no electrolyte results are reported on pre-mortem blood.) The death was attributed to complications of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. CASE #2: A 27-year-old man was found dead in a drug rehab center. He had experienced severe vomiting for 5-6 da...
Source: The Poison Review - Category: Toxicology Authors: Tags: Medical cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome cannabis cyclic vomiting fatality marijuana Source Type: news