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- A study of 430,000 adults found that cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, independent of tobacco use.
- The risk was higher for people who used cannabis more frequently, but the risk was present even for people who used cannabis less than daily.
- Cardiovascular risks were present even in cannabis users who had never used cigarettes or nicotine e-cigarettes.
A new study of more than 430,000 American adults finds that marijuana use may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. This association existed even after researchers took into account tobacco use and other cardiovascular disease risk factors.
More than 48 million Americans reported using cannabis at least once in 2019, and 3 in 10 cannabis users suffer from cannabis use disorder.
Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, but 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized it for recreational use, and many more are allowing medical use of cannabis, also known as marijuana.
Therefore, adult cannabis use has increased over the past decade, even though smoking rates have declined since the 1960s.
“Despite its common use, little is known about the risks of cannabis use, particularly the risks of cardiovascular disease,” said study author Abra Jeffers, a data analyst at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. said the doctor in a statement.
“However, previous research has suggested that cannabis may be associated with cardiovascular disease,” she said. “Additionally, smoking, the primary method of cannabis use, can pose additional risks due to the inhalation of particulate matter.”
The study was published in the journal Feb. 28.
Data were collected through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national survey conducted annually by the CDC.
The researchers found that among all adults between the ages of 18 and 74, cannabis use, whether smoked, ingested, or vaporized, was associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
The risk increased with more frequent cannabis use, but the risk was present even among infrequent users. For example, people who use cannabis daily have a 25% higher risk of heart attack and a 42% higher risk of stroke than non-users.
The results were similar even after the researchers controlled for other cardiovascular risk factors, including cigarette and nicotine e-cigarette use, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes, and physical activity level. .
In a separate analysis, researchers found that even cannabis users who had never smoked cigarettes or used nicotine e-cigarettes had an increased risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Additionally, cannabis use among young people at risk for early-onset cardiovascular disease (men under 55 and women under 65) had a 36% higher risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. .
Dr. Jeffrey C. Williams, clinical professor of internal medicine at Michigan Health University, said the results show that “even in young people, smoking marijuana has a strong and consistent effect on heart attack and stroke.” He said that
Part of this increased risk may be due to breathing in particulate matter, which is known to damage blood vessels and the heart.
“We know that exposure to small amounts of smoke, even marijuana or cigarette smoke, significantly increases the risk of stroke and heart attack,” Williams told Healthline.
One
Williams cautions that cannabis smoke contains more than just tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis. These other chemicals can also harm your heart and blood vessels.
In conclusion, “when people are considering taking something they should be aware of the effects of all the ingredients in that substance,” he said, adding that “smoking is by no means a safe way to take drugs.” Not,” he added.
Smoke inhalation is just one way cannabis can harm the heart and blood vessels, the authors of the new study say.
For example, some studies suggest that cannabis can have negative effects such as:
The new study had several limitations, including its observational nature. That is, researchers cannot show cause and effect, only that there is an association.
The researchers also asked participants to report their cardiovascular risk factors and whether they had had a heart attack or stroke. There was also no data on participants’ blood pressure or cholesterol levels, two other important cardiovascular risk factors.
But even without knowing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, researchers can still He pointed out that he recognized a strong correlation. The relationship between cannabis use and adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
However, people with uncontrolled blood pressure or high cholesterol levels may be at higher risk from cannabis. Additional research will be needed to evaluate that.
Dr. Lauren E. Wald, a professor of surgery at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, also believes more research is needed into the heart-related effects of edibles.
Cannabis edibles include gummies, brownies, cookies, and other products, and some edibles contain very high THC levels.
The study also included people who used cannabis edibles or vapes, but the researchers did not look at cardiovascular risk in these groups separately.
So “more research is needed, not just on whether or not it’s edible, but on the types that are actually edible,” Wald told Healthline.
We really need to consider “what potential risks there are with all the different types of cannabis products,” he said, and “that’s going to take a significant amount of time.”
Some of the shortcomings of the new study could be addressed in future studies, such as enrolling participants and following them from that point to see how many develop cardiovascular problems.
This type of prospective study allows the research team to use medical records to see if a person is having a heart attack or stroke, and to directly measure blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. You can also collect more detailed information about your cannabis use, such as frequency and type of products.
Professor Mintz said that despite the new study’s limitations, the findings were a wake-up call for both the public and doctors about the potential risks of cannabis.
“This is an opportunity for people who engage in cannabis use, whether recreational or medical, especially those who are already known to be at high risk for heart disease, to consult their doctor and review other cardiovascular risks. ” Mintz told Healthline.
Doctors should also regularly ask patients questions about cannabis use, including ways to assess blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and other factors, he said.
“Cannabis use appears to be another overlooked potential cardiovascular risk factor,” he said.
Wald said the new research results also make it possible to weigh the risks and benefits of cannabis, which he said is especially important for middle-aged and older people who may have other cardiovascular risk factors. .
“Cannabis products may be effective in treating insomnia and chronic pain,” Wald says. “But is using cannabis worth the risk of impairing heart function?”
In a study of more than 430,000 U.S. adults, researchers found that cannabis use was associated with increased cardiovascular risks, including heart attack, stroke, and coronary heart disease. The risk increased with more frequent cannabis use.
This was true even when researchers took into account other risk factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes, and physical activity level.
Even among people who had never used cigarettes or nicotine e-cigarettes, cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular effects. Young people perceived similar risks from cannabis use.
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