“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.