Dozens of states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana in recent years, creating one of the more radical cultural shifts the United States has seen in quite some time.
The long-term impact of legalization, however, remains a bit of a mystery. Two veteran cardiologists are now urging their colleagues to do more research into how this trend may impact the heart health of Americans as time goes on. Could legalization lead to more major adverse cardiovascular events? What should cardiologists tell their patients about the topic when it comes up in conversation? These are just some of the questions that additional research could help address.
The group shared its call to action in Cardiology Research.[1]
“There is a paucity of data on the effect of marijuana legalization on various cardiovascular events,” wrote co-authors Shereif H. Rezkalla, MD, a cardiologist and researcher with the Marshfield Clinic Health System, and Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine with the Keck School of Medicine at USC. “It is prudent to have well-designed studies with enough power to provide consumers and healthcare providers the information they need to decide whether the risks of marijuana, especially on the cardiovascular front, are worth the ‘high’ or potential benefits that have been described for other medical conditions.”
Rezkalla and Kloner did note that marijuana use has been linked to certain health benefits. However, they added, it has also been associated with a variety of cardiovascular complications, including myocardial infarction, stroke and congestive heart failure. With recreational marijuana use now legal in approximately half of the country, should cardiologists expect the number of patients presenting with these adverse events to increase dramatically?
“Many studies have indicated an increase in cardiovascular events, and some indicated an increase in mortality, in people who use marijuana,” Rezkalla and Kloner wrote. “An important question is, did legalization of marijuana in any states cause an increase in cardiovascular events and/or mortality?”
Overall, the duo concluded, there is an “urgent need” for the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies to step forward and fund studies that can provide some definitive answers. Learning more about the cardiovascular impact of marijuana legislation will benefit the general public and it may even help influence future policies and industry guidelines.
Click here to read the full manuscript in Cardiology Research.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.