Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: a specific cause of cyclical vomiting

Cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder that occurs mostly in children, adolescents and young adults in which episodes of nausea and vomiting occur up to six to 12 times per year. In the past decade, one specific cause of cyclical vomiting syndrome, referred to as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), has been described in a subset of patients who report chronic marijuana use. Of interest, almost all of these patients report compulsive bathing in hot water as part of the syndrome. In this report, we present the case of a 20-year-old female with CHS, review the issues generally encountered in CVS and discuss the known details of CHS. This is an important syndrome that needs to be considered as a potential diagnosis when patients present with cyclical vomiting.