Recent research indicates that cannabis users are substantially more likely to experience heart attacks compared to non-users, particularly among young and otherwise healthy adults. Read on to understand the potential impacts and why this matters.
The landscape of cannabis use has dramatically shifted across the United States, with legalization paving the way for increased recreational usage. However, recent research indicates that this trend may come with significant health risks. Two new studies have provided compelling evidence that cannabis users are at a substantially higher risk of experiencing heart attacks compared to non-users, even among younger and otherwise healthy individuals.
These findings were unveiled in a retrospective study encompassing over 4.6 million participants published in JACC Advances and a comprehensive meta-analysis of 12 prior studies presented at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25).
In particular, the retrospective study discovered that cannabis users under the age of 50 are more than six times as likely to suffer a heart attack than their non-using counterparts. The meta-analysis, the largest pooled study to date on this topic, revealed a 50% increased risk for heart attacks among cannabis users.
“Asking about cannabis use should be part of clinicians’ workup to understand patients’ overall cardiovascular risk, similar to asking about smoking cigarettes,” lead author Ibrahim Kamel, a clinical instructor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and internal medicine resident at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston, said in a news release. “At a policy level, a fair warning should be made so that the people who are consuming cannabis know that there are risks.”
The study utilized data from TriNetX, a global health research network, and tracked over three years of medical records. The results indicated 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 among cannabis users under 50.
Kamel emphasized the importance of patients being candid with their health care providers about their cannabis use.
“Patients should be forthcoming with their doctors and remember that we are their number one advocate and having the full story matters,” he added.
The researchers hypothesize that cannabis may impact the cardiovascular system by affecting heart rhythm, increasing oxygen demand, contributing to endothelial dysfunction and impeding blood vessel relaxation.
One study included in the meta-analysis reported that the risk of heart attack peaked approximately one hour post-consumption of marijuana.
Despite these alarming findings, the researchers acknowledged the limitations of their studies. Both studies were retrospective, and the meta-analysis faced challenges inherent in data pooling from different studies. Confounding factors like the duration and amount of cannabis use, as well as use of other substances such as tobacco, weren’t consistently accounted for.
Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm these results and identify the highest-risk demographics. A previous study presented at the ACC Annual Scientific Session in 2023 linked daily marijuana use with a heightened risk of coronary artery disease, further supporting these new findings.
Source: American College of Cardiology