Their comprehensive statement delves into the following impact of cannabis:
Respiration: Cannabis affects the airways making it harder to place a breathing tube for anaesthesia.
Cardiac effects: Cannabis affects heart rate and blood pressure and has the potential to increase risks of a heart attack and/or stroke.
Pain management: Cannabis interferes with pain control and the amount of pain medication needed to provide relief following an operation, necessitating higher post-operative pain medication doses.
It is important for patients to be honest with their surgical team about using cannabis products. For more in-depth information, you can explore the full statement on the American College of Surgeons’ website