New Study Links Cannabis Use Disorder to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
A recent study conducted in Canada has found that adults with cannabis use disorder are facing a 60% higher risk of experiencing their first major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, compared to those without the disorder. The research, which analyzed data from nearly 60,000 participants, also discovered that cannabis users who perceive themselves as healthy are at an even greater risk.
The study, published in the journal Addiction on September 27, focused on the association between problematic marijuana use and the occurrence of adverse cardiovascular disease events. Researchers utilized five Canadian health databases to create a cohort, with half of the participants diagnosed with cannabis use disorder and the other half without. The two groups were matched by gender, year of birth, and time of presentation to the health system, while individuals with prior cardiovascular disease events were excluded. The participants were then tracked from January 2012 to December 2019.
Among the participants with cannabis use disorder, 2.4% (721 individuals) experienced a first-time cardiovascular disease event, in contrast to 1.5% (458 individuals) in the group without the disorder.
Interestingly, the study also highlighted a higher risk among cannabis users who considered themselves healthy and had no co-occurring medical illnesses, no prescriptions, and fewer than five visits to health services in the last six months. This subgroup had a risk approximately 1.4 times higher than the rest of the cannabis-use-disorder group. The researchers speculate that these individuals may not have acted upon or even noticed the warning signs of a potential cardiovascular event.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Anees Bahji, emphasized the significance of these findings for public health and clinical practice. While the study does not establish a causal relationship between cannabis use disorder and adverse cardiovascular events, it does suggest a substantially higher risk for individuals with the disorder.
This study contributes to the ongoing discourse surrounding the health implications of cannabis use disorder and its potential links to cardiovascular health. It provides valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers to consider when assessing the risks and benefits associated with cannabis use.
Reference: “Cannabis use disorder and adverse cardiovascular outcomes: a population-based retrospective cohort analysis of adults from Alberta, Canada” by Anees Bahji, Josh Hathaway, Denise Adams, David Crockford, E. Jennifer Edelman, Michael D. Stein, Scott B. Patten, 27 September 2023, Addiction.
DOI: 10.1111/add.16337
Funding for this research was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship, Alberta Innovates Foundations, Calgary Health Trust, and the University of Calgary. The study also received support from the Cuthbertson & Fischer Chair in Pediatric Mental Health at the University of Calgary and the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM) Prairies Node, in collaboration with the CRISM-Alberta Health Services (AHS) Advancement in Analytics in Addiction Partnership.