Cannabis heart attack risk: A recent study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) found that cannabis users under 50 face a 6.2 times higher heart attack risk than non-users.
Additionally, marijuana users in this age group are 4.3 times more likely to suffer from an ischemic stroke and twice as likely to experience heart failure.
Study Overview
- Tobacco Use: Researchers excluded tobacco users from the study to isolate marijuana’s effects on heart health.
- Participants: Over 4.6 million people under 50 were surveyed, including 93,000 cannabis users.
- Health conditions: Researchers excluded participants with diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, or other cardiovascular issues.
Professional Views
Boston University main researcher Ahmed Mahmoud stressed the need for additional research and suggested that consumers reduce their cannabis use until more comprehensive data is available.
“We are not sure if it’s 100% safe for your heart by any amount or any duration of exposure,” said Mahmoud.
How Cannabis Affects the Heart
While research remains limited, experts suggest that marijuana can:
- Raise Blood Pressure: Increased blood flow and blood pressure may strain the heart.
- Damage Artery Linings: By producing microscopic tears in the artery walls, cannabis has the ability to form clots.
- Trigger Cardiac Events: A reduced oxygen supply to the heart can cause a myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack.
Stanton Glantz, a retired professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, said that marijuana had cardiovascular effects similar to those of tobacco. Similar to cigarette smoke, cannabis damages blood vessels and increases plaque accumulation, which may increase the risk of heart disease.
A Request for Details
Health professionals advise using cannabis with caution until definitive research is available. Users of marijuana need to keep an eye on their heart health and be aware of any early warning indicators of cardiovascular problems.
Source: USA Today
