With the legalization of cannabis spreading to more U.S. states, this study stands out as one of the most extensive and thorough investigations to date on the possible lasting effects of marijuana use on cardiovascular health.
According to new findings presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology, individuals who use marijuana on a daily basis are roughly 33% more prone to developing coronary artery disease (CAD) in comparison to those who have never used the substance.
Cholesterol deposits constrict the arteries that carry blood to the heart, causing coronary artery disease (CAD), the most prevalent type of heart disease.
Pain in the chest, fatigue, and shortness of breath are common symptoms of CAD, which may lead to a heart attack.
The results of past studies on the link between marijuana and heart disease have been a bit mixed, with some suggesting that smoking marijuana can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other heart problems, especially in younger people.
In the new study, they “found that cannabis use is linked to CAD, and there seems to be a dose-response relationship in that more frequent cannabis use is associated with a higher risk of CAD,” remarks lead author Ishan Paranjpe.
In terms of the public health message, it demonstrates that there may be certain risks from cannabis usage that weren’t previously identified, and individuals should take that into consideration.
The researchers began by analyzing the relationship between the frequency of cannabis use (which was determined using surveys at the time of enrollment in the study) and the rates of CAD (assessed based on medical records spanning several years). The data for this analysis came from the All of Us Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, which contains in-depth information about the health and behaviors of 175,000 people.
Using information from a separate genetics consortium, they then employed Mendelian randomization, a genetics-based method, to establish a causal link between cannabis use disorder and CAD risk. The regular use of marijuana and dependence on the drug are both symptoms of cannabis use disorder, which is a recognized mental condition.
After taking into account age, gender, and major risk factors for heart disease, the results showed that people who use marijuana every day are 34% more likely to have CAD than people who have never used it.
On the other hand, using cannabis once a month was not linked to a significant rise in the risk of CAD. The Mendelian randomization analysis found that people with cannabis use disorder are more likely to get CAD. This suggests that there is a link between the two.
Moreover, the genomic study demonstrated that this causal link was unaffected by any possible confounding effects of alcohol and tobacco use.
Based on these results, researchers advised consumers to be aware that using cannabis has some risk and to tell their doctor if they do so that doctors may take the proper measures to monitor their heart health.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound that gives cannabis its euphoric properties, is thought to operate on receptors in the heart, blood vessels, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract.
Cannabis may induce inflammation and the accumulation of plaque via this interaction between THC and blood vessels, eventually leading to CAD.
Cannabidiol (CBD), another active component in cannabis and hemp that is often isolated for products that do not include THC, would not necessarily be anticipated to have the same benefits.
The results may lead to novel heart disease therapies through improving understanding of marijuana usage and heart disease molecular pathways, according to the authors.
“From a scientific standpoint,” according to Paranjpe, “these findings are exciting because they suggest there might be new drug targets and mechanisms we can explore to take control of this pathway going forward.”
In the data used for this study, there was no way to tell how cannabis was used, such as whether it was smoked, eaten, or taken in some other way.
Researchers suggested it would be useful to explore the health effects of these various cannabis consumption methods in future studies since THC enters the body via a different channel and reaches the brain more rapidly when cannabis is smoked as opposed to eaten.
Despite the fact that the federal government still forbids the use and possession of cannabis, more than half of the states in the United States have legalized or decriminalized marijuana usage for recreational reasons, and three-quarters permit its medicinal use.
According to 2019 research, around 18% of American adults consumed marijuana in that year.
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