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PHILADELPHIA – Medical cannabis has been well tolerated by older patients and has provided significant symptom benefits, revealed a retrospective analysis of diagrams.
Laszlo Mechtler, MD, of the Dent Neurologic Institute of Buffalo, NY, and his colleagues, outlined in an early release summary: the meeting of the American Academy of Neurology to be held here in may.
In addition, 32% reduced their opioid analgesics, they added.
In the beginning, about one-third of patients experienced side effects – mainly drowsiness, balance problems, and gastrointestinal disturbances – but in 13% of patients these problems were resolved by adjusting dosages.
Similar results were observed last year in a study published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, in which older patients reported significantly less pain with medical cannabis and more than 18% stopped or reduced opioid analgesics.
In the United States, people aged 65 and over are among the fastest growing group of cannabis users. To date, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical purposes. Ten states have also legalized recreational use, prompting some experts to worry about older people who might be able to deal with unaided medical problems themselves.
"There is growing evidence for some indications of medical cannabis – pain for example – and there is a need to compare the side effects that older adults may be more vulnerable to, such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and drought. mouth, "Joshua Briscoe, MD, of Duke University Medical Center, said MedPage today. "Older adults should be cautious when they are experimenting with medical cannabis alone and communicating the details to their doctor."
In this study, Mechtler and his colleagues analyzed the records of 204 patients aged 75 to 102 using New York State's Medical Marijuana program. They were on average 81 years old and were followed by a neurological outpatient clinic in Buffalo. Of the total sample, 129 were women and 75 were men.
Participants took various reports of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cannabidiol (CBD) orally as a liquid tincture extract, capsule or in an electronic vaporizer, for an average of 16.8 weeks.
Initially, 34% of participants experienced adverse effects; after dose adjustment, this figure dropped to 21%. The most common side effects were drowsiness (13%), balance problems (7%) and gastrointestinal disorders (7%). Due to the adverse effects, seven patients (3.4%) stopped using marijuana for medical purposes. The most common ratio between THC and CBD in people who reported no side effects was 1: 1.
Overall, 69% of participants experienced symptom relief, mainly pain (49%), sleep (18%), neuropathy (15%), and anxiety. (10%).
"With legalization in many states, marijuana for medical purposes has become a popular treatment option in people with chronic conditions and chronic health conditions, but research is scarce, especially among the elderly," said Mechtler in a statement.
"Our results are promising and can help fuel new research on marijuana for medical purposes as an additional option for this group of people who are often chronically ill," he added. "Future research should focus on symptoms such as drowsiness and balance problems, as well as on efficacy and optimal dosage."
The study was funded by the Dent Family Foundation.
2019-02-28T16: 00: 00-0500
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