Research Papers

Marijuana Use and Organ Transplantation: a Review and Implications for Clinical Practice: “There is no consensus among experts regarding marijuana use in transplantation patients. There are extant case reports of post-transplant complications attributed to marijuana use including membranous glomerulonephritis, ventricular tachycardia, and tacrolimus toxicity. However, recent studies suggest that the overall survival rates in kidney, liver, lung, and heart transplant patients using marijuana are equivalent to non-users. Transplant teams should not de facto exclude marijuana users from transplant listing but instead holistically evaluate a patient’s candidacy, integrating meaningful medical, psychiatric, and social variables into the complex decision-making process.” / Rai HS, Winder GS. Marijuana Use and Organ Transplantation: a Review and Implications for Clinical Practice. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017 Oct 27;19(11):91. doi: 10.1007/s11920-017-0843-1. PMID: 29075929

Cannabis Use in Heart Transplant Patients: Questions about use of cannabis in heart transplant patients (pre and post) are increasing due to its availability, legalization in some states, and media. What should patients know? Dr. Eileen Hsich, Medical Director of the Heart Transplant Program at Cleveland Clinic, Kathleen Faulkenberg PharmD, University of Kentucky, and Caroline Olt, MD, an internal medicine resident at Cleveland Clinic, co-authors of a recent paper on the topic discuss considerations such as the differences between types of cannabis, edibles vs. inhaled, frequency of usage, dependency, interactions with transplant medications, outcomes and current recommendations.

A ‘Catch-22’ of medical marijuana and organ transplants: A rise in the use of medical marijuana has spurred a debate about organ transplantation, and it’s changing some laws across the nation

DISCLAIMER
TRIO-Maryland Chapter, Inc. (TRIO Maryland) is an independently chartered Maryland non-profit charitable corporation. TRIO Maryland is not associated with any individual practitioner(s) or institutional health care provider(s), Medical Cannabis Dispensary, Medical Cannabis Grower(s) or Manufacturer(s). TRIO Maryland does not recommend or endorse any specific health care provider(s), physician(s), practitioner(s), tests, procedures, products, opinions or information provided at any TRIO Maryland sponsored event, presentation, conference or on the TRIO Maryland website. The content and all information provided on the website and at individual presentations and during any event sponsored by TRIO Maryland is at the sole and individual discretion and responsibility of the presenter and TRIO Maryland assumes no liability or responsibility for said information. Please consult your transplant team before making any changes or additions to your transplant regimen.