Rising evidence, including a recent study from the American College of Cardiology, indicates potential cardiovascular risks associated with cannabis use. Over time, chronic daily consumption can carry grave health risks. Those claims are contradicted by a recent retrospective study and systematic meta-analysis showing troubling results. Cannabis users had an over 3-fold increased risk for heart attack, ischemic stroke, heart failure and cardiovascular death compared to non-users.
Elevated Cardiovascular Risks
Cannabis smokers have more than 3 times the risk of myocardial infarction. In fact, they are six times more likely to have one than non-users. A meta-analysis of 12 previous studies validated these results. It found that cannabis users were at a 50% greater risk of having a heart attack. Specifically, active users are 1.5 times more likely to get a warning sign that they’re on the verge of a heart attack compared to non-active users.
In addition to the increased risk of heart attacks, cannabis users face a fourfold higher risk of ischemic stroke and a twofold higher risk of heart failure. The odds of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke are tripled in cannabis users.
Varied Study Findings
The majority of studies find that cannabis users are at an increased risk of having a heart attack. Studies have indicated that there is no difference or even a decreased risk among these users. In fact, four of those studies concluded there was no difference in the risk of having a heart attack for users compared to non-users. Finally, one study showed that people who use cannabis have a slightly lower risk of heart attack.
Even with these contradictory findings, the meta-analysis did show a troubling pattern. Of these, seven of the 12 studies found that cannabis use increases the risk of heart attacks. The bubble is even bigger for users under 50 years old. They are six and a half times more likely to have a heart attack than non-users.
Implications for Public Health
The move towards legalization of cannabis has exploded across the country, with states legalizing at a dizzying pace. Some experts have decried this trend as a national, active public health experiment. Increasing numbers of people are using cannabis — for recreational as well as medical purposes. This worrisome trend underscores a critical need to raise awareness about #VapingHealthRisks.
“Asking about cannabis use should be part of clinicians’ workup to understand patients’ overall cardiovascular risk, similar to asking about smoking cigarettes,” said Dr. Ibrahim Kamel.
Hear from experts who discuss the need to continue monitoring and studying the developing research on the health effects of using cannabis. Dr. Andrew Meltzer noted the paradoxical effects of cannabis, stating:
“some of the reactions we see are paradoxical. For instance, in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, cannabis in short doses actually reduces nausea and stimulates appetite.”
Dr. Hoang Nguyen highlighted the role of other substances in influencing cardiovascular outcomes:
“A confounding factor, as indicated in this study, is whether other forms of drug use may contribute to adverse cardiovascular effects.”
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