Hospitals should universally screen patients for cannabis use prior to surgery, according to new guidelines from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.
The guidelines recommend clinicians ask surgical patients about the type of cannabis they use — along with the amount, frequency and way it was ingested — as heavy use could have negative effects for postoperative pain control.
The medical society convened an expert panel of anesthesiologists, chronic pain physicians and researchers to develop the new guidelines, which were published Jan. 3 in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
The recommendations represent the first U.S. guidelines issued on perioperative management of cannabis.
View the full list of guidelines here.