Ischemic stroke after use of the synthetic marijuana "spice".

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To report and associate acute cerebral infarctions in 2 young, previously healthy siblings with use of the street drug known as "spice" (a synthetic marijuana product, also known as "K2"), which they independently smoked before experiencing acute embolic-appearing ischemic strokes.

Methods

We present history, physical examination, laboratory data, cerebrovascular imaging, echocardiogram, ECG, and hospital course of these patients.

Results

We found that in both siblings spice was obtained from the same source. The drug was found to contain the schedule I synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018. Full stroke workup was unrevealing of a stroke etiology; urine drug screen was positive for marijuana.

Conclusions

We found that our 2 patients who smoked the street dru

SUBMITTER: Freeman MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3863350 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature