These results highlight how crucial it is to comprehend the possible cardiovascular hazards connected to cannabis usage.
According to new research, regular marijuana usage may raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
Two early studies that were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023 suggest that marijuana use may raise the risk of heart failure even after controlling for other heart failure risk factors such type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Questions over marijuana’s effects on heart and brain health persist as the drug’s medical use—also known as cannabis—continues to spread throughout the United States.
The relationship between regular marijuana usage and the risk of heart failure, heart attack, and stroke has been clarified by two different research groups.
In the first study, more than 150,000 adults took part in the All of Us Research Programme, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Investigators looked into the connection between regular marijuana use and heart failure.
Result
According to the analysis, those who reported using marijuana on a daily basis were 34% more likely to experience heart failure than people who never used the drug. This risk did not change with age, sex, or history of smoking.
The study’s secondary analysis revealed that the likelihood of heart failure dropped from 34% to 27% when coronary artery disease was taken into account, indicating that heart failure may be caused by coronary artery disease.
The second study focused on older persons with cardiovascular risk factors who did not report using tobacco, using data from the 2019 National Inpatient Sample.
In comparison to non-users of cannabis, it was discovered that those who possessed these risk characteristics had a 20% higher likelihood of suffering a significant cardiac or neurological incident while in the hospital. Additionally, cannabis users were more likely to have heart attacks and to be moved to different facilities.
The findings highlight how crucial it is to comprehend the possible cardiovascular hazards connected to cannabis usage.
Scientists advise medical practitioners to inquire about cannabis use when evaluating a patient’s medical history.
It’s crucial to remember that additional study is required to completely understand the long-term consequences of cannabis usage on cardiovascular health and that the data utilised in these studies may have limitations.
Healthcare professionals and the general public should carefully assess and monitor the increasing evidence of cardiovascular hazards associated with cannabis use, as this study has shown.
A forum for disseminating the most recent findings in cardiovascular science, the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023 will host the presentations of the studies.
