Cannabis use increases risk of heart attack, stroke in young adults
Using cannabis significantly raises a person’s myocardial infarction risk, even if they are young and otherwise quite healthy, according to the research team behind two new studies. The first is a retrospective analysis that was just published in JACC Advances, while the other is a meta-analysis being presented at ACC.25, the American College of Cardiology’s annual conference.
“Asking about cannabis use should be part of clinicians' workup to understand patients' overall cardiovascular risk, similar to asking about smoking cigarettes,” Ibrahim Kamel, MD, clinical instructor at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and the lead author of both studies, said in a statement. “At a policy level, a fair warning should be made so that the people who are consuming cannabis know that there are risks.”
Kamel et al. performed a retrospective study of more than 4.6 million adults 50 years old or younger. All participants were free of significant cardiovascular comorbidities with no prior coronary artery disease. The average follow-up period was more than three years. Overall, the group found that cannabis use significantly increased a person’s risk of a myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, heart failure and cardiovascular death.
The team’s meta-analysis, meanwhile, included data from 12 different studies that covered more than 75 million people. The studies were completed in the United States, Canada and India. Some studies did not include age data, but the average age for those that did was 41 years old. Overall, the use of cannabis was associated with a 50% higher risk of experiencing a myocardial infarction.
“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 explained in the same statement. “Patients should be forthcoming with their doctors and remember that we are their number one advocate and having the full story matters.”
Click here to read the full retrospective analysis in JACC Advances.
The meta-analysis, meanwhile, is scheduled to be presented at ACC.25 on Saturday, March 29, at 2 p.m.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.