Is Recreational Marijuana Use Associated With Changes in the Vital Signs or Anesthetic Requirements During Intravenous Sedation?

PURPOSE: The prevalence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use is increasing in the general population due to its increased availability, legality, and cultural acceptability. The purpose of the current study was to measure the association of THC use on the vital signs and anesthetic requirements during intravenous (IV) sedation procedures in recreational marijuana users.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed. A study sample was chosen from July 2018 to May 2022 based on the following inclusion criteria: patients who underwent toxicology screening due to their history of recent drug use and received IV sedation. The predictor variable of the present study is THC status grouped into THC+ and THC-. THC status was established using urine toxicology. Patients who screened positive for THC were coded THC+. Patients who screened negative for THC were coded THC-. Primary outcome variable was changes in vital signs, including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR) during IV sedation procedures in THC+ and THC- groups. Secondary outcome variable was difference in medication (midazolam, fentanyl, propofol, and ketamine) requirements in THC+ and THC- groups. Covariates included age, gender, race, weight, duration of surgery, smoking history, and alcohol use, data on psychiatric diagnosis and psychiatric medications. Descriptive statistics and 2-sample t test were calculated. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

RESULTS: In total, 53 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study, with 27 patients in the THC+ group and 26 patients in the THC- group. There were no significant statistical differences in the MAP% , HR% , and RR% at T5 , T10 , T20 , and T30 between the THC+ and THC- groups. When comparing THC+ and THC- groups, in bivariate analyses, the THC+ group required, on average, higher doses of fentanyl [83.82 mcg compared to 65 mcg (P = .02)] and propofol [70 mg compared to 45.26 mg (P = .03)] during IV sedation. However, after adjusting the effect of age, gender, and weight, THC had no significant effect on midazolam (P-value = .28), fentanyl (P-value = .12), propofol (P-value = .06) and ketamine (P-value = .86) requirements.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest there are no differences in vital signs or anesthetic requirements between the THC+ and THC- groups.