Cannabis boosts risk of stroke and heart attack, independent of tobacco, new study finds

[mountaineer]

Cannabis boosts risk of stroke and heart attack, independent of tobacco, new study finds
by Henry Bodkin
9 March 2017 • 7:00pm

Cannabis itself is harmful to cardiovascular health and increases the chance of early death regardless of related factors such as smoking tobacco, new research reveals.

Data taken from more than 1,000 US hospitals found that people who used the drug had a 26 per cent higher chance of suffering a stroke than those who did not, and a 10 per cent higher chance of having a heart attack.

They indicate there is something intrinsic about cannabis which can damage the proper functioning of the human heart.

"Even when we corrected for known risk factors, we still found a higher rate of both stroke and heart failure in these patients, so that leads us to believe that there is something else going on besides just obesity or diet-related cardiovascular side effects,” said Dr Aditi Kalla, Cardiology Fellow at the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and the study's lead author.

"It's important for physicians to know these effects so we can better educate patients.”

Previous research in cell cultures has shown that heart muscle cells have cannabis receptors relevant to contractility, or squeezing ability, suggesting that those receptors might be one mechanism through which marijuana use could affect the cardiovascular system.

The findings held true after taking into account unhealthy factors known to affect many cannabis smokers, such as obesity, alcohol misuse and smoking.  ...

Rest of story at Telegraph (U.K.)

[rangerrebew]

Marijuana use associated with increased risk of stroke, heart failure
As marijuana legalization spreads, better understanding of side effects is needed

Date:
    March 9, 2017
Source:
    American College of Cardiology
Summary:
    Using marijuana raises the risk of stroke and heart failure even after accounting for demographic factors, other health conditions and lifestyle risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use, according to new research.
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FULL STORY
Coming at a time when marijuana, medically known as cannabis, is on track to become legal for medical or recreational use in more than half of U.S. states, this study sheds new light on how the drug affects cardiovascular health.
Credit: © tugolukof / Fotolia

Using marijuana raises the risk of stroke and heart failure even after accounting for demographic factors, other health conditions and lifestyle risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use, according to research scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170309142318.htm

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