Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy?
Mortality associated with cannabis used for treatment of epilepsy is not well documented. We discuss two fatalities in the setting of epilepsy and self-determined therapy with cannabis (SDTC). One patient had probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, the second death was due to seizure-associate...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Elsevier
2019-01-01
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Series: | Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports |
Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213323218301567 |
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author | Devon M. Kollmyer Kyla E. Wright Nicole M. Warner Michael J. Doherty |
author_facet | Devon M. Kollmyer Kyla E. Wright Nicole M. Warner Michael J. Doherty |
author_sort | Devon M. Kollmyer |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Mortality associated with cannabis used for treatment of epilepsy is not well documented. We discuss two fatalities in the setting of epilepsy and self-determined therapy with cannabis (SDTC). One patient had probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, the second death was due to seizure-associated drowning. Both directed SDTC over conventional anti-seizure medications. Where recreational cannabis is legal, decisions to use cannabis are often self-directed and independent of physician advice of cannabis risks, in part because physicians may not be aware of the risk of SDTC. Further study of morbidity and mortality of SDTC in patients with epilepsy is needed. Keywords: Marijuana, Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, Cannabidiol, Tetrahydrocannabinol, Therapy |
first_indexed | 2024-12-23T20:56:39Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-30044694a65143fb9eef8204d6046844 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2213-3232 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-23T20:56:39Z |
publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
publisher | Elsevier |
record_format | Article |
series | Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports |
spelling | doaj.art-30044694a65143fb9eef8204d60468442022-12-21T17:31:29ZengElsevierEpilepsy and Behavior Case Reports2213-32322019-01-01115253Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy?Devon M. Kollmyer0Kyla E. Wright1Nicole M. Warner2Michael J. Doherty3Swedish Epilepsy Center, 550 17th Ave suite 540, Seattle, WA 98122, USAUniversity of Washington, Department of Neurobiology, 318K Hitchcock Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USASwedish Epilepsy Center, 550 17th Ave suite 540, Seattle, WA 98122, USASwedish Epilepsy Center, 550 17th Ave suite 540, Seattle, WA 98122, USA; Corresponding author.Mortality associated with cannabis used for treatment of epilepsy is not well documented. We discuss two fatalities in the setting of epilepsy and self-determined therapy with cannabis (SDTC). One patient had probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, the second death was due to seizure-associated drowning. Both directed SDTC over conventional anti-seizure medications. Where recreational cannabis is legal, decisions to use cannabis are often self-directed and independent of physician advice of cannabis risks, in part because physicians may not be aware of the risk of SDTC. Further study of morbidity and mortality of SDTC in patients with epilepsy is needed. Keywords: Marijuana, Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, Cannabidiol, Tetrahydrocannabinol, Therapyhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213323218301567 |
spellingShingle | Devon M. Kollmyer Kyla E. Wright Nicole M. Warner Michael J. Doherty Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports |
title | Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? |
title_full | Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? |
title_fullStr | Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? |
title_full_unstemmed | Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? |
title_short | Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? |
title_sort | are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy |
url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213323218301567 |
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