Description

In this lecture, we will focus on a topic that is not among the most popular, but has an extremely important place among patients and their relatives. How to take care of a person in a safe, compassionate and ethical way so that they can enjoy life despite their illness? What is palliative care? In Slovenia, the pioneer in this field is Dr. Josipina Ana Červek, who shares with us her extensive knowledge of the use of cannabinoids in official medicine. Together with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tanja Bagar, they will highlight the following important points:

• Cannabinoids are the safest substance, concerns about minor risks are not relevant, but it is not true that they are a panacea for all the world's ills...
• A lot of research, cannabinoids as multi-target molecules, a lot of known and unknowns, the transfer of experimental data into clinical practice is not yet sufficient
• What is EKS? 35 billion cells in the body, different systems, cells morphologically very different, but very similar in their biochemistry. The more complex the organism, the more important it is that communication works well.
• Cell signaling, 12-15,000 signals every second in the body
• Receptors: specific for cannabinoids, cannabis contains a lot of cannabinoids, other plants also have cannabinoids
• Cannabinoids are created where they are needed and are quickly broken down
• Tone of the microbiome and immune system, fats, because all cells are wrapped in fat, and cannabinoids are fat-soluble, they do not necessarily need receptors to enter cells…antioxidant properties are receptor-independent
• A peaceful way of dying, failure of functions, still maintained homeostasis until the last moment, without any symptoms….it's easier with CBD.
• The purpose of using cannabinoids in palliative care: pain, nausea, lack of appetite, sleep, psychological disorders
• As complementary therapy, synergistic action with existing therapy
• What are they like? obstacles for use in Slovenia: legislation allows for prescribing, but this is very low, there are no official guidelines, no training for doctors, poor accessibility, no system for medical cannabis, problems even with official medicines (coverage by insurance companies)
• Survey on cannabis use 2020, Slovenian public opinion
• Europa Donna 2021 Association – Society of Oncology Patients
• Myths about palliative care...what is it? "When doctors give up, they put you on palliative care"...does it make sense to use cannabis if palliative care is prescribed? Panic because they think there is no solution.
• Neuromodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, a more difficult path to death is often the result of an overly stimulated brain and entire nervous system...excitotoxicity
• The important role of mitochondria in energy, including in dying
• The most common symptoms in palliative care
• In addition to the patient, it is good for relatives to also take CBD, because they are more supportive and more stable.
• Drug interactions, quality of preparations
• Israel: better use in the elderly, they have a lot of experience, guidelines on when and how to use, dosage, titration, recommendation for 1:1
• Josipina Ana Cervek wrote guidelines for the use of cannabinoids in palliative care, many articles..
• Supportive treatment, palliative treatment, a wide range in several branches of medicine, alleviating symptoms and side effects of certain drugs, e.g. cytostatics, in oncology...
• Palliative care: ensures optimal functioning, well-being and social support for the patient and their family in advanced incurable disease
• Supportive care: in all stages of the disease
• End-of-life care
• Team approach, multi-professional, continuous, the beginning of palliative care began in the 60s
• Multidisciplinary team (pain clinic, psycho-oncology, clinical nutrition and diet therapy, physiotherapy, pharmacy, spiritual care, volunteers, relatives...)
• Advanced malignant disease: incurable, generalized symptoms, systemic chronic inflammation...
• Tumor: immune system: interaction…tumor cells secrete procachectic cytokines that break down proteins and fats, and the immune system secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines that cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain and trigger most of the symptoms characteristic of the disease…accelerates the growth of tumor cells, new blood vessels, and metastatic activity
• Existing classic drugs have stronger effects than cannabinoids, old studies were conducted with THC, and therefore it is difficult to include cannabinoids in therapy.
• Cannabinoids increase the effectiveness of conventional medications. 30% patients do not respond to conventional medications. Cannabinoids are of great benefit to those for whom medications do not work.
• Cannabinoids affect various symptoms, but not classic drugs (analgesic is just an analgesic)
• Chronic pain: synergy with opioids, enhances analgesic effect, lower opioid dose, fewer side effects
• Neurological symptoms: anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, PTSD, lack of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, target drug toxicity
• Faster regeneration after stress, improved mood, general maintenance of homeostasis
• Monitoring symptoms, it is important to recognize, define, grade and record them
• Determination doses and dosage: no specific dose, individual
• The therapeutic efficacy of cannabinoids in palliative medicine is no longer in question: the positive impact, Clinically greatest benefit in patients with many systemic symptoms
• Key is a titration, determination of individual dose.

Links to the lecture: https://biomons.com/konoplja-in-paliativa/

We offer the possibility of a SHORT FREE CONSULTATION for an individual health condition when you do not know what is the best choice for you at: advice@biomons.com or call 040 614 617 (Darja Batista).

Asst. Dr. Tanja Bagar she is the director and, in this capacity, the president of the expert council of the International Cannabinoid Institute ICANNA. She is also the deputy director of a research, development and trade company and head of development and research in an environmental company. She is also active in the academic sphere. He teaches microbiology and ecoremediation topics at the faculty of Alma Mater Europaea and is a professional or collaborates scientifically with the Austrian College of Health and Development. She is a member of the Pomurska Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Slovenian Biochemical Society and the Society of Psychologists of Slovenia, and is one of the founders of the Society for the Preservation and Protection of the Environment. She has extensive research experience gained in laboratories at the National Institute of Chemistry, the Faculty of Biotechnology, the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Nutrition, the Topolšica Hospital and the Institute of Microbiology and Genetics at the Georg-August University in Gottingen, Germany, and at To the Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh. Since 2013, she has participated as a reviewer in the national competition of research papers organized by the Association for Technical Culture of Slovenia. For social engagement, she received the Thanks of the Slovenian Microbiological Society for cooperation in the promotion of microbiology, a special recognition as part of the Slovenian award for social responsibility HORUS and an invitation to become an honorary member of the social cooperative KonopKo.

As a lecturer or listener, she participates in various conferences on cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, cannabis, nutrition, etc. at the national or international level. He deals with the microbiological aspect, cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology in connection with the endocannabinoid system and the action of cannabinoids, laboratory analyzes of hemp products, etc. She completed the intensive four-week e-learning program Concepts of Cannabis Science I conducted by Kenevir Research (Oregon, USA), as well as the advanced program Concepts of Cannabis Science II

Tanja Bagar, winner of the prize for talented students during her studies, graduated from the study of microbiology at the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana and received the Prešeren Prize for her thesis. She continued her postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana, where she obtained her doctorate in the field of biomedical sciences. As a young researcher, she received the Krka Award for special achievements in the field of research work, and a municipal gold plaque for successfully completing her doctorate. She passed the professional exam at the Ministry of Health.

Tjaša Korelc she is an anthropologist with a university degree, consultant in western natural medicine (spagiria and alchemy)

She is a cultural and social anthropologist by education, and at the same time she attended a

school of spagyry and alchemy, traditional Western medicine. She is also certified in cannabinoid counseling with Dr. Dustin Sulak (online) and is a professional associate at Biomons.

Prim. Josipina Ana Červek, MD. is a specialist internist and oncologist from the Oncology Institute in Ljubljana, now retired.