Marijuana Use and Heart Risks: What the New Studies Found

Original Article: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/998288?ecd=WNL_mdpls_231110_mscpedit_wir_etid6043856&uac=476612SY&spon=17&impID=6043856

Daily Use of Marijuana and Heart Failure: A Higher Risk?

New research found that people who used marijuana (“weed”) every day had a 34% higher chance of heart failure within four years compared to those who didn’t use it at all. This study looked at how often people used weed and found that those who used it every day had a bigger risk of heart trouble.

Weed Problems in the Hospital: More Risks

Another study looked at older adults (65yrs+) with heart risks who do not smoke tobacco. They found that those who had a heavy reliance on marijuana, called cannabis use disorder (CUD), had a 20% increased chance of serious heart and brain problems while they were in the hospital.

What These Studies Show: Connections, Not Causes

The results from many studies were presented at the American Heart Association conference. The results indicate only a link between using weed and heart issues, not that using weed causes these problems for sure; correlation, not causation. However, it is still important to be mindful of findings in the presence of other risk factors.