Cannabis Use Disorder and Heart Attacks: How Pot is Killing You
Cannabis Use Disorder and Heart Attacks: How Pot is Killing You
The Link Between Cannabis Use Disorder and Heart Attacks
According to a new study presented at an American Heart Association convention, a rising number of patients under 50 with cannabis use disorder are being hospitalized for a heart attack.
According to HealthDay, this pattern was strongest among three groups: those aged 18 to 34, men, and African Americans. According to the study, 4.1 percent of individuals admitted to the hospital for a heart attack also had a cannabis use disorder. From 2.4 percent in 2007 to 6.7 percent in 2018, the percentage nearly quadrupled. Although data from the American Heart Association reveal that heart attacks are significantly less likely in those under 50 than in older adults, the study implies that cannabis users should be monitored more closely for potential heart issues.
“If we have more (heart attack) patients coming in because of cannabis use disorder, if there is a temporal relationship, it is definitely going to put a huge stress on health care resources in general,” said lead researcher Darshi Desai of the University of California, Riverside.
What is Cannabis Use Disorder?
She and her colleagues looked at 819,354 people's medical information from a huge public database of hospital visits. They looked for persons aged 18 to 49 who had been hospitalized for a heart attack and had a previous diagnosis of cannabis use disorder on their records. Marijjuana Use Disorder is classified as excessive, chronic marijuana use with signs of dependency, inability to manage usage, and impairment in social functioning.