Marijuana use may increase heart complications in young, middle-aged adults
MY SUMMARY
Marijuana use may increase heart complications in young, middle-aged adults
American Heart Association / April 23, 2014
Marijuana use may result in cardiovascular-related complications -- even death
In prior research, we identified several remarkable cases of cardiovascular complications as the reasons for hospital admission of young marijuana users," said Émilie Jouanjus, Pharm.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a medical faculty member at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse in Toulouse, France. "This unexpected finding deserved to be further analyzed, especially given that the medicinal use of marijuana has become more prevalent and some governments are legalizing its use."
. They identified 35 cases of cardiovascular and vascular conditions related to the heart, brain and limbs.
Most of the patients were male, average age 34.3 years.
Nearly 2 percent (35 of the 1,979) marijuana-related complications were cardiovascular complications.
Of the 35 cases, 22 were heart-related, including 20 heart attacks; 10 were peripheral with diseases related to arteries in the limbs; and three were related to the brain's arteries.
The percentage of reported cardiovascular complications more than tripled from 2006 to 2010.
Nine patients, or 25.6 percent, died.
Researchers note that marijuana use and any resulting health complications are likely underreported.
"The general public thinks marijuana is harmless, but information revealing the potential health dangers of marijuana use needs to be disseminated to the public, policymakers and healthcare providers," Jouanjus said.
"There is now compelling evidence on the growing risk of marijuana-associated adverse cardiovascular effects, especially in young people,"
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Abstract
Background Cannabis is known to be associated with neuropsychiatric problems, but less is known about complications affecting other specified body systems. We report and analyze 35 recent remarkable cardiovascular complications following cannabis use.
We identified all spontaneous reports of cardiovascular complications related to cannabis use collected by the French Addictovigilance Network from 2006 to 2010.
There were 22 cardiac complications (20 acute coronary syndromes), 10 peripheral complications (lower limb or juvenile arteriopathies and Buerger‐like diseases), and 3 cerebral complications (acute cerebral angiopathy, transient cortical blindness, and spasm of cerebral artery). In 9 cases, the event led to patient death.
Conclusions Increased reporting of cardiovascular complications related to cannabis and their extreme seriousness (with a death rate of 25.6%)
Given that cannabis is perceived to be harmless by the general public and that legalization of its use is debated, data concerning its danger must be widely disseminated.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140423170900.htm
Marijuana use may increase heart complications in young, middle-aged adults
American Heart Association / April 23, 2014
Summary:
Marijuana use may result in heart-related complications in young and middle-aged adults. Nearly 2 percent of the health complications from marijuana use reported were cardiovascular related. A quarter of these complications resulted in death, according to a study. Surveillance of marijuana-related reports of cardiovascular disorders should continue and more research needs to look at how marijuana use might trigger cardiovascular events, researchers say.
Marijuana use may result in cardiovascular-related complications -- even death -- among young and middle-aged adults, according to a French study reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
In prior research, we identified several remarkable cases of cardiovascular complications as the reasons for hospital admission of young marijuana users," said Émilie Jouanjus, Pharm.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a medical faculty member at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse in Toulouse, France. "This unexpected finding deserved to be further analyzed, especially given that the medicinal use of marijuana has become more prevalent and some governments are legalizing its use."
Researchers analyzed serious cardiovascular-related complications following marijuana use that was reported to the French Addictovigilance Network in 2006-10. They identified 35 cases of cardiovascular and vascular conditions related to the heart, brain and limbs.
Among their findings:
"The general public thinks marijuana is harmless, but information revealing the potential health dangers of marijuana use needs to be disseminated to the public, policymakers and healthcare providers," Jouanjus said.
People with pre-existing cardiovascular weaknesses appear to be more prone to the harmful effects of marijuana.
"There is now compelling evidence on the growing risk of marijuana-associated adverse cardiovascular effects, especially in young people," Jouanjus said. "It is therefore important that doctors, including cardiologists, be aware of this, and consider marijuana use as one of the potential causes in patients with cardiovascular disorders."
Surveillance of marijuana-related reports of cardiovascular disorders should continue and more research needs to look at how marijuana use might trigger cardiovascular events, she said.
Marijuana use may increase heart complications in young, middle-aged adults
American Heart Association / April 23, 2014
Summary:
Marijuana use may result in heart-related complications in young and middle-aged adults. Nearly 2 percent of the health complications from marijuana use reported were cardiovascular related. A quarter of these complications resulted in death, according to a study. Surveillance of marijuana-related reports of cardiovascular disorders should continue and more research needs to look at how marijuana use might trigger cardiovascular events, researchers say.
Marijuana use may result in cardiovascular-related complications -- even death -- among young and middle-aged adults, according to a French study reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
In prior research, we identified several remarkable cases of cardiovascular complications as the reasons for hospital admission of young marijuana users," said Émilie Jouanjus, Pharm.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a medical faculty member at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse in Toulouse, France. "This unexpected finding deserved to be further analyzed, especially given that the medicinal use of marijuana has become more prevalent and some governments are legalizing its use."
Researchers analyzed serious cardiovascular-related complications following marijuana use that was reported to the French Addictovigilance Network in 2006-10. They identified 35 cases of cardiovascular and vascular conditions related to the heart, brain and limbs.
Among their findings:
- Most of the patients were male, average age 34.3 years.
- Nearly 2 percent (35 of the 1,979) marijuana-related complications were cardiovascular complications.
- Of the 35 cases, 22 were heart-related, including 20 heart attacks; 10 were peripheral with diseases related to arteries in the limbs; and three were related to the brain's arteries.
- The percentage of reported cardiovascular complications more than tripled from 2006 to 2010.
- Nine patients, or 25.6 percent, died.
"The general public thinks marijuana is harmless, but information revealing the potential health dangers of marijuana use needs to be disseminated to the public, policymakers and healthcare providers," Jouanjus said.
People with pre-existing cardiovascular weaknesses appear to be more prone to the harmful effects of marijuana.
"There is now compelling evidence on the growing risk of marijuana-associated adverse cardiovascular effects, especially in young people," Jouanjus said. "It is therefore important that doctors, including cardiologists, be aware of this, and consider marijuana use as one of the potential causes in patients with cardiovascular disorders."
Surveillance of marijuana-related reports of cardiovascular disorders should continue and more research needs to look at how marijuana use might trigger cardiovascular events, she said.
- Original Research
Health Services and Outcomes research
Cannabis Use: Signal of Increasing Risk of Serious Cardiovascular Disorders
- Emilie Jouanjus, PharmD, PhD;
- Maryse Lapeyre‐Mestre, MD, PhD;
- Joelle Micallef, MD, PhD,
- The French Association of the Regional Abuse and Dependence Monitoring Centres (CEIP‐A) Working Group on Cannabis Complications*
Correspondence to:
Emilie Jouanjus, PharmD, PhD, Equipe “Pharmacoépidémiologie: Evaluation de l'utilisation et du risque médicamenteux,” INSERM UMR1027: Epidémiologie et analyses en santé publique ‐ Risques, maladies chroniques et handicaps, Faculté de Médecine, 37 allées Jules Guesde, Toulouse 31073, France.
Abstract
Background Cannabis is known to be associated with neuropsychiatric problems, but less is known about complications affecting other specified body systems. We report and analyze 35 recent remarkable cardiovascular complications following cannabis use.
Methods and Results In France, serious cases of abuse and dependence in response to the use of psychoactive substances must be reported to the national system of the French Addictovigilance Network. We identified all spontaneous reports of cardiovascular complications related to cannabis use collected by the French Addictovigilance Network from 2006 to 2010. We described the clinical characteristics of these cases and their evolution: 1.8% of all cannabis‐related reports (35/1979) were cardiovascular complications, with patients being mostly men (85.7%) and of an average age of 34.3 years. There were 22 cardiac complications (20 acute coronary syndromes), 10 peripheral complications (lower limb or juvenile arteriopathies and Buerger‐like diseases), and 3 cerebral complications (acute cerebral angiopathy, transient cortical blindness, and spasm of cerebral artery). In 9 cases, the event led to patient death.
Conclusions Increased reporting of cardiovascular complications related to cannabis and their extreme seriousness (with a death rate of 25.6%) indicate cannabis as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease in young adults, in line with previous findings. Given that cannabis is perceived to be harmless by the general public and that legalization of its use is debated, data concerning its danger must be widely disseminated. Practitioners should be aware that cannabis may be a potential triggering factor for cardiovascular complications in young people.