Canadian Study Reveals Link Between Heavy Cannabis Use And Increased Risk Of Heart Problems

A new study based on medical data from Alberta, Canada, has revealed a connection between cannabis use disorder and an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.

Published in Addiction, this research analyzed data from nearly 60,000 adults from 2012 to 2019.

Published in Addiction, this research analyzed data from nearly 60,000 adults from 2012 to 2019.

Cannabis use disorder, as defined in the study, involves an individual's inability to quit cannabis use despite facing adverse life events.

See Also: Study Reveals Groundbreaking Treatment For Cannabis Use Disorder With A New Class Of Medication

About The Study

Researchers compared diagnostic codes for this disorder with those related to various cardiovascular conditions, including heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.

Among the noteworthy findings, the study reported that individuals diagnosed with cannabis use disorder were approximately 60% more likely to experience cardiovascular events compared to their counterparts without this diagnosis.

However, it's crucial to note that the study stopped short of definitively establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship between cannabis use disorder and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Anees Bahji, the lead author emphasized this point. "Our study doesn't provide enough information to say that cannabis use disorder causes adverse cardiovascular disease events."

The research also highlighted an unexpected trend: otherwise healthy individuals diagnosed with cannabis use disorder appeared to be at even greater risk of experiencing cardiovascular events. In this context, "healthy" individuals were defined as those without co-occurring mental health disorders, recent doctor visits, prescriptions, or other medical conditions.

"Among people with cannabis use disorder, 2.4% (721) experienced a first-time cardiovascular disease event, compared with 1.5% (458) in the unexposed group," per News Medical Life Sciences.

In essence, while this study shed light on a potentially alarming association, it underscores the need for further research to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

For more details, you can access the full study here.

Read Next: Take Care Of Your Heart: Risk Of Coronary Artery Disease Among Regular Cannabis Users, Study Finds

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