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The synthetic cannabinoid withdrawal syndrome
Nicholas Nacca1, Deepak Vatti, Ross Sullivan
1From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY (NN, DV, RS, JM); and Department of Emergency Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY (PS, MS).
Journal of Addiction Medicine
|April 24, 2013
Summary
Synthetic cannabinoid withdrawal can cause severe anxiety and tachycardia. This syndrome may be more intense than delta-9-THC withdrawal and might not respond to traditional treatments.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Toxicology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Limited understanding of synthetic cannabinoid (SC) effects.
- Only one prior report documented SC withdrawal syndrome.
- This study presents two cases of SC withdrawal.
Observation:
- Patients exhibited symptoms consistent with withdrawal from prolonged SC use.
- Acute withdrawal presented with anxiety and tachycardia.
- No neurological findings or electrolyte disturbances were noted.
Findings:
- SC withdrawal syndrome is similar but more severe than delta-9-THC withdrawal.
- Symptoms may not improve with delta-9-THC.
- Heterogeneous compounds in SCs, potentially including amphetamine-like substances, may explain presentation differences.
Implications:
- Benzodiazepines are a potential first-line treatment for SC withdrawal.
- Quetiapine may also show efficacy in managing SC withdrawal symptoms.
- Further research is needed to establish optimal treatment strategies for synthetic cannabinoid dependence.
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