Older cannabis users undergoing surgery required higher doses of inhalational anesthetics compared to nonusers, according to a retrospective cohort study. The study included 22,476 patients aged 65 years or older, with 268 cannabis users matched to 1072 nonusers. Cannabis users had significantly higher average minimum alveolar concentrations of anesthesia than nonusers, though the clinical relevance of this difference is unclear. The study emphasized caution in administering unnecessary higher doses of anesthesia to cannabis users. Limitations included lack of access to medication records and potential underdocumentation of cannabis use. The study was supported by various organizations and some authors had ties to pharmaceutical companies.
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Do Cannabis Users Need More Anesthesia During Surgery?
