New Research Uncovers Alarming Heart Risks for Marijuana Users

 

Recent research suggests a significant correlation between marijuana use and increased heart attack risks, particularly among younger adults.

Recent research suggests a significant correlation between marijuana use and increased heart attack risks, particularly among younger adults. Two large-scale studies, including a meta-analysis of over 75 million people, reveal that cannabis users under 50 could face a six times higher risk of heart attack compared to non-users.

Marijuana and Heart Health: New Studies Highlight Risks

Marijuana is now legal in many places, but is it truly safe? Two new studies add to growing evidence that cannabis users face a higher risk of heart attacks, even among young and otherwise healthy individuals. The findings come from a large-scale retrospective study of over 4.6 million people published on March 18 in JACC Advances and a meta-analysis of 12 previously published studies being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25).

As marijuana use continues to rise across the United States, particularly in states where it is legal for recreational use, researchers are uncovering potential health concerns. The retrospective study found that cannabis users under 50 were more than six times as likely to experience a heart attack compared to non-users. Meanwhile, the meta-analysis, the largest pooled study on this topic to date, found that marijuana use was associated with a 50% higher risk of heart attacks.

Clinical Insights and Recommendations

“Asking about cannabis use should be part of clinicians’ workup to understand patients’ overall cardiovascular risk, similar to asking about smoking cigarettes,” said Ibrahim Kamel, MD, clinical instructor at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and internal medicine resident at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston and the study’s lead author. “At a policy level, a fair warning should be made so that the people who are consuming cannabis know that there are risks.”

Extensive Research Findings

Kamel and his team conducted the retrospective study using data from TriNetX, a global health research network that provides access to electronic medical records. Their findings indicate that over an average follow-up of over three years, cannabis users had more than a sixfold increased risk of heart attack, fourfold increased risk of ischemic stroke, twofold increased risk of heart failure, and threefold increased risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke.

All study participants were younger than age 50 and free of significant cardiovascular comorbidities at baseline, with blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels within a healthy range and no diabetes, tobacco use, or prior coronary artery disease.

Meta-Analysis: Broadening the Understanding of Cannabis Impact

For the meta-analysis, the researchers pooled data from 12 previously published research studies that collectively included over 75 million people. The studies were rated as being of moderate to good quality in terms of methodology. Of the 12 studies, 10 were conducted in the United States, one in Canada, and one in India. Some of the studies did not include information about participants’ ages, but the average age was 41 years among those that did, suggesting that the pooled sample reflected a relatively young population.

Taken individually, seven of the studies found a significant positive association between cannabis use and heart attack incidence, while four showed no significant difference and one showed a slightly negative association. When the researchers pooled the data from all studies and analyzed it together, they found a significant positive association, with active cannabis users being 1.5 times as likely to suffer a heart attack compared with those who aren’t current users.

The Ongoing Debate: Interpreting Cannabis Studies with Caution

Cannabis use and heart attack incidence were assessed in a similar manner across the different studies. However, due to inconsistencies in the data available from each study, researchers were unable to account for several potential confounding factors including the duration and amount of cannabis use or the use of tobacco or other drugs.

“We should have some caution in interpreting the findings in that cannabis consumption is usually associated with other substances such as cocaine or other illicit drugs that are not accounted for,” Kamel said. “Patients should be forthcoming with their doctors and remember that we are their number one advocate and having the full story matters.”

Mechanisms and Limitations: Unpacking the Potential Cardiovascular Effects of Cannabis

While the mechanisms through which marijuana or its components may impact the cardiovascular system are not fully understood, the researchers hypothesize that it can affect heart rhythm regulation, heighten oxygen demand in the heart muscle, and contribute to endothelial dysfunction, which makes it harder for the blood vessels to relax and expand, and can interrupt blood flow. One of the studies included in the meta-analysis found that the risk of heart attack peaked about one hour after marijuana consumption.

Since both studies were limited by their retrospective nature and the meta-analysis was limited by the challenges inherent in pooling data from multiple studies, researchers said that additional prospective studies would help to confirm the findings and determine which groups may face the highest risk.

A previous study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in 2023 found that daily marijuana use was associated with an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease.

website: popularscientist.com

#HeartHealth 

#CannabisRisks 

#MarijuanaAwareness 

#CardiovascularHealth 

#HealthResearch 

#WeedAndHeart 

#YoungAdultsHealth 

#MedicalWarning 

#CannabisStudy 

#ACC25