Although marijuana has been de-criminalized in an increasing number of states, and it has a reputation as a fairly low-risk drug, new research has suggested it’s linked to an increase in heart attacks, if used daily. This is especially true for middle-aged users and older.
Two studies have looked at the side effects of regular use on a large number of individuals.
The studies have not yet been peer-reviewed but they come from reputable sources. The findings will be presented at this weekend’s American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023.
The first study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. It looked at 150,000 adults.
It followed the group for almost four years. Just under 2% developed heart disease in that time. It found that daily marijuana users were 34% more likely to have heart failure compared to people who didn’t use the drug.
“Our results should encourage more researchers to study the use of marijuana to better understand its health implications, especially on cardiovascular risk,” said lead study author Dr. Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, a resident physician at Medstar Health in Baltimore.
“We want to provide the population with high-quality information on marijuana use and to help inform policy decisions at the state level, to educate patients and to guide health care professionals.”
The median age of participants was 54. One limitation of the study was it did not ask if users inhaled or ingested marijuana, which could make a difference.
Cardiovascular risk in older users
A second study looked at nationwide hospitalizations in 2019. Specifically, it examined whether hospital stays were complicated by a cardiovascular event, including heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest or arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) in patients who used marijuana. It looked at marijuana users who didn’t use any tobacco products.
“Since 2015, cannabis use in the U.S. has almost doubled, and it is increasing in older adults, therefore, understanding the potential increased cardiovascular risk from cannabis use is important,” said lead study author Dr. Avilash Mondal, a resident physician at Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia.
The study identified 28,535 cannabis users with existing cardiovascular risk factors. These included high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.
Among its findings, it says 20% had an increased chance of having a major heart or brain event while hospitalized, compared to the group who did not use cannabis.
“We must be mindful about major heart and stroke events in older adults with cannabis use disorder. At this point, we need more studies to understand the long-term effects of cannabis use,” said Mondal. “Health care professionals should include the question, ‘Are you using cannabis?’ when taking a patient’s history.”
Mondal says asking a patient if they smoke is not sufficient, as most people might presume the question is about tobacco only.
How popular is marijuana?
Marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States. According to the CDC, 48.2 million people, or about 18% of Americans, used it at least once in 2019.
Around 3 in 10 people who use marijuana have what’s known as “marijuana use disorder”. They will find it difficult to stop using cannabis even if it’s causing them health or social problems. Besides the possibility of heart disease, as suggested above, it’s also been linked to psychosis and schizophrenia in some regular users.
Many studies have noted that LGBTQ+ people are more likely to use illegal drugs, often to cope with stress or anxiety. A 2010 study found that gay men were four times as likely as straight men to use marijuana.
