Is CBD safe for patients with heart disease?
Cannabidiol (CBD) has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, but cardiologists and other medical professionals are still trying to determine just how safe it is for certain patient populations.
In fact, according to one new study, there is still not enough evidence available to recommend that patients with heart disease take CBD. The analysis was presented at ACC Latin American 2022 Together with CardioAcademic, a two-day event hosted by the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
“CBD has substantial evidence for the following conditions: pain, cachexia, nausea and vomiting, multiple sclerosis spasticity and, most recently, epilepsy,” lead author Mario Esteban Zúñiga Ayala, MD, a specialist with Hospital Regional 1 o de Octubre ISSSTE in Mexico City, said in a prepared statement. “Its pharmacological profile shows it is safe and well-tolerated in humans, although it has well-described side effects. But the interaction with other medications often used by cardiologists, such as anticoagulation and anti-platelet drugs, is not well-known.”
Zúñiga Ayala et al. evaluated data from nine previous studies—none of them randomized controlled trials—in search of evidence that CBD was a safe and effective treatment option for heart patients. While they found some “promising results” that suggest CBD could make a positive impact on patients with a variety of cardiac conditions, the group still concluded that additional research is still needed and called for clinical human trials so that final recommendations could be made.
In the same statement, Zúñiga Ayala emphasized that patients with heart disease—or any patients, for that matter, should remain cautious if choosing to medicate with CBD.
“CBD is not a miraculous drug,” he said. “If taking any other medications, try to seek a specialist on medical cannabis to advise you if you are a candidate to take CBD. Always ask for interactions with your previously prescribed medications and do not suspend any drug prescribed by your physician. If buying CBD, always look for well-established dispensaries.”
Additional information on ACC Latin America 2022 Together With CardioAcademic is available here.
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.