A rare cause of intractable tachycardia during caesarean section: Acute cannabis use

Abstract

Persistent, unexplained perioperative tachycardia during caesarean section may be a challenge for the anaesthesiologist because the differential diagnosis is large and it may negatively impact patient outcome. Cannabis is the most common recreational drug generally used for its hallucinogenic properties in pregnancy. Although the cardiovascular effects of cannabis is dose-dependent, acute effects of low doses induce euphoria, tachycardia, and anxiety. However, the majority of pregnant patients with a history of drug addiction hide or deny it due to feelings of shame and guilt or legal concerns. The authors present a case of persistent perioperative tachycardia during caesarean section under combined spinal epidural anaesthesia (CSEA) in a drug-addictive pregnant who received cannabis-containing cigarettes six hours before her admission to the hospital.