Daily Marijuana Use Raises the Risk of Heart Disease

Using marijuana every day can raise a person's risk of coronary artery disease by a third compared with those who never use the drug.

People who used marijuana daily were found to be about one-third more likely to develop coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with people who have never used the drug, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session together with the World Congress of Cardiology.

As cannabis becomes legal in an increasing number of U.S. states, this study is among the largest and most comprehensive to date to examine the potential long-term cardiovascular implications of using the drug.

Marijuana - Types, Uses & Adverse effects
Marijuana (cannabis) is a drug obtained from the hemp plant and often abused for its psychoactive effects, though it has medicinal uses as well.

‘Daily marijuana users were 34% more likely to have coronary artery disease, a condition that affects your heart.’

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease and occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed due to a buildup of cholesterol. CAD commonly causes chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue, and can lead to a heart attack.

Previous studies have reported somewhat mixed findings on the relationship between cannabis and heart disease, with some suggesting that smoking marijuana can raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiac events, especially in younger people.

Marijuana and Heart Health: What You Need to Know

Using data from the All of Us Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, which includes detailed information about the health and habits of 175,000 people, researchers first analyzed the relationship between cannabis use frequency (assessed using surveys at the time of enrollment in the study) and rates of CAD (assessed based on medical records spanning several years).

They then used a genetics-based approach to identify a causal relationship between cannabis use disorder and CAD risk using data from an independent genetics consortium. Cannabis use disorder is a recognized psychiatric disorder involving frequent marijuana use and dependency.

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After adjusting for age, sex, and major cardiovascular risk factors, the results indicated that daily cannabis users were 34% more likely to have CAD than those who have never used marijuana. In contrast, monthly cannabis use was not associated with a significant increase in the risk of CAD.

Based on these findings, researchers said it is important for people to be aware that cannabis use is not without risk and to make sure to inform their doctor if they use cannabis so that clinicians can take appropriate steps to monitor their heart health.

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Previous studies have suggested that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the molecule responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, acts on receptors that are found in the central nervous system, the heart, and blood vessels.

This interaction may provide a pathway for cannabis to promote inflammation and the buildup of plaque, ultimately leading to CAD. The same effects would not necessarily be expected with the use of cannabidiol (CBD), another active ingredient in cannabis and hemp that is commonly extracted for products that do not contain THC.

Cannabis
Cannabis has a long history of medicinal, recreational, and industrial use and comes from a bushy plant with thick sticky flowers called Cannabis Sativa

By helping to better understand the molecular pathways involved in marijuana use and heart disease, the findings could open new opportunities for interventions to prevent or treat heart disease.

Source-Eurekalert