Recent cannabis use and myocardial infarction in young adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Cannabis is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs. 1 Recent legalization of cannabis in Canada, 2 and decriminalization in multiple jurisdictions in the United States, 3 has contributed to its increased availability and social acceptance. Cannabis use is also increasing, particularly among young adults (aged 18 to 44 yr). 4,5 Furthermore, when comparing prevalence rates before and after legalization in Canada, use among young adults increased by a larger amount relative to other age groups. 6 Despite the widespread use of cannabis, its effects on health remain poorly understood.The American Heart Association recently issued a recommendation not to smoke or vapourize any product containing cannabis because of its potential harm on cardiovascular health, and called for more research on the epidemiology and trends in cannabis use among youth and high-risk populations. 7 The association between recent cannabis use and stroke has been assessed; 8 however, its effect on other cardiovascular outcomes remains incompletely characterized. Although heavy cannabis use has been reported to trigger acute myocardial infarction (MI), the current evidence is limited to case-control studies that are prone to bias and studies relying solely on administrative data. [9][10][11][12][13][14] It is also limited in its definition of exposure, as these studies assess patients with heavy cannabis use (cannabis abuse or cannabis use disorder). 9-14 Very few studies have assessed the prevalence of recent cannabis use (any use within past 30 days) and its association with MI. 7,9,15 Prevalence estimates of the primary method of cannabis consumption and the frequency of cannabis use are incompletely characterized, and the potential impact of these factors on the risk of MI remains undefined.We aimed to assess the prevalence of recent cannabis use and its association with history of MI in young adults (aged 18 to 44 yr) in the US, using national health survey data. Methods Study design and participantsWe performed a cross-sectional study using data collected from 2 cycles of the annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a health-related telephone survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 16 The BRFSS was designed to collect prevalence data on risk behaviours,

Serum Metabolomic Analysis of Male Patients with Cannabis or Amphetamine Use Disorder

“…Studies show positive correlations between exposure to abused drugs and other diseases/conditions [61][62][63]. These conditions are associated with dysregulated metabolomics pathways.…”

Cardiac Complications of Common Drugs of Abuse: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Management

“…107,108 A recent cross-sectional study has provided evidence that a history of MI was more common among recent cannabis users. 109 MI in these patients might occur in the absence of detectable atherosclerotic CAD. 110,111 Increased myocardial oxygen demand, reduced oxygen supply, microvascular/coronary artery spasm, and the prothrombotic state arising from cannabis use contribute to increased acute coronary syndrome risk.…”

Considerations for Cannabinoids in Perioperative Care by Anesthesiologists

“…Concomitantly, smoking one marijuana cigarette increases heart rate by 54% and reduces the time to the emergence of angina by 50% [129,171]. In another study, cardiovascular risk increased two-fold in young individuals consuming cannabinoids if their consumption was more than four times per month [204]. A similar excessive risk was seen in the case of a cardiovascular accident [205].…”

“…Interestingly, cannabinoid concentrations increase in coronary arteries post-acute coronary syndrome, suggesting a beneficial or compensatory effect. This effect may be balanced against the risk of myocardial ischemia, platelet activation, cardiac arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy [204,208,209,347]. Of note, increased risk of a coronary event is prolonged and occurs after even a single intake of cannabinoid compounds [204].…”

“…This effect may be balanced against the risk of myocardial ischemia, platelet activation, cardiac arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy [204,208,209,347]. Of note, increased risk of a coronary event is prolonged and occurs after even a single intake of cannabinoid compounds [204]. Concern regarding the respiratory system should focus on the potential effect of smoke and vape inhalation as an inducer of lung damage or affecting mucus production [62,73,172,173,225].…”