Tuesday, May 20, 2008

More Evidence that Marijuana May be Linked to Heart Attack


The results of a small study, published online May 13, 2008 in Molecular Psychiatry, has researchers speculating that chronic, heavy marijuana use leads to major increases in triglyceride levels. Dr. Subramaniam Jayanthi from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and colleagues, say the finding may be the reason marijuana has a negative impact on the cardiovascular system. The results of past studies have linked marijuana to increased risk of heart attack, especially in mid-life, but exactly why this occurs is speculative.

The study authors say that marijuana creates a resistance to blood flow. Senior author Dr Jean Luc Cadet (National Institute on Drug Abuse) explained, "A lot of people in cardiology have probably not been following the literature on marijuana, as most of it comes from the perspective of the neurologist or neuropsychiatrist. But in researching this topic, we came across a lot of papers suggesting that marijuana has acute cardiovascular effects, and we ourselves published a paper in 2005 showing that heavy marijuana users had increased resistance to brachial flow."

We know that heart disease risk can be measured by several inflammatory biomarkers that promote clot formation in the lining of the blood vessels. In one study, it was shown that transient spikes in triglyceride levels from diet can cause enough inflammation to immediately increase our risk of heart attack. The current study found that marijuana users experience increased levels of ApoC3, a major lipoprotein that delays the breakdown of triglycerides.

The study is admittedly small, but Dr. Cadet is encouraging physicians to ask their patients about marijuana use to measure their risk factors for heart attack and stroke. He hopes to also see larger studies. “Doctors should ask patients about a history of drug abuse, and if they have been smoking marijuana, it may be worth checking triglyceride levels."

In conclusion, the authors say: "The observed increases in apolipoprotein C3 in the marijuana users hint of the possibility that chronic marijuana abuse could lead to impairments of cellular energetics and mitochondrial function, which are critical events associated with myocardial infarction, stroke, and ischemic/reperfusion damage."

Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels in check by avoiding processed food. Stay away from Trans -fats, cholesterol laden foods and saturated fat. Avoid tobacco and get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week. Alcohol is also known to increase triglyceride levels.

If you smoke marijuana, speak with your medical provider about your health risks. If you experience chest pain associated with smoking marijuana, the study presented here should provide some genuine insight about the potential dangers to your heart.

Source: HeartWire

Related: Smoking Marijuana May Increase Risk of Dying After a Heart Attack
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