Weed is NOT the remedy: Why marijuana is bad for your heart health

In many nations, including the United States, marijuana is widely used for both medical and recreational purposes.

However, it might not be as safe for the heart.

Two recent studies have found a connection between regular marijuana use and a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

This is especially important for elderly patients who have medical issues.

CNN quoted Robert Page II, chair of the volunteer writing group for the 2020 American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Medical Marijuana, Recreational Cannabis, and Cardiovascular Health, as saying in a statement, “Observational data are strongly pointing to the fact that… cannabis use at any point in time, be it recreational or medicinal, may lead to the development of cardiovascular disease.”

Let’s take a look.

Marijuana and heart failure

Those who used marijuana regularly had a 34 per cent greater risk of developing heart failure than those who never used it, according to the first unpublished study that the American Heart Association (AHA) presented on Monday at their 2023 Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia.

Their age, birth sex, or smoking history had no impact on this threat.

In the study, which had a 54-year-old median age and no history of heart failure, 156,999 participants were tracked. 2,958 of them experienced heart failure during the roughly four years that they were followed.

The study also discovered that the participants’ chance of heart failure decreased from 34 per cent to 27 per cent when they had coronary artery disease, a condition that narrows the blood veins supplying the heart.

Lead study author Dr. Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, a resident physician at Baltimore’s MedStar Health, notes that regular marijuana usage may cause coronary artery disease, which in turn may worsen heart failure.

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He said, “Prior research shows links between marijuana use and cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation, which is known to cause heart failure.”

Increased risk of chronic conditions

In the second study, 28,535 marijuana users who also had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes were assessed for cardiovascular risk factors.

The data is taken from the 2019 National Inpatient Sample, which keeps track of US hospital admissions.

Since tobacco and marijuana are commonly used concurrently, the study concentrated on persons over 65 who did not smoke.

According to the findings, 20 per cent of marijuana users experienced a serious cardiac or neurological event — such as a heart attack or stroke — while they were receiving medical attention.

A significant unfavourable cardiac and brain event, or major complication, occurred in another 13.9 per cent of the patients.

Additionally, compared to non-users, marijuana users with cardiovascular risk factors experienced a higher rate of heart attacks – 7.6 per cent VS six per cent respectively.

It has been shown that marijuana users who have high blood pressure and high cholesterol are more likely to suffer from serious side effects that could impair their hearts and brains.

The lead study author, Avilash Mondal, MD, a resident physician at Philadelphia’s Nazreth Hospital, said that their research was unique since it did not include tobacco users and instead concentrated on the relationship between cannabis use and cardiovascular outcomes.

The American Heart Association (AHA) advices against smoking and vaping any chemical, including cannabis products, due to the possible risks to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

Growing use among older adults

The use of marijuana by senior citizens is rising.

CNN cited a 2020 study published in JAMA as saying that the proportion of American seniors over 65 who use edibles or smoke marijuana climbed by twice between 2015 and 2018.

As per a 2023 study published in National Library of Medicine, over-65s’ use of marijuana and binge drinking increased by 450 per cent in the previous month between 2015 and 2019.

The JAMA study published in 2015 states cannabis use disorder affects around three out of ten marijuana users, who become dependent on the drug.

Cannabis addiction

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, when someone experiences food cravings or an appetite loss, irritability, restlessness, mood swings, or trouble sleeping after stopping, they are deemed dependent on marijuana.

When someone can’t stop smoking marijuana despite it interfering with many elements of their life, it becomes an addiction.

With inputs from agencies