Cannabis use raises risk of heart attack and stroke more than cocaine, other drugs, major review suggests
The potential risk of cannabis use has been in the spotlight following recent research pointing toward negative health effects.
This includes a new meta-analysis by French researchers, published in the journal Heart, which reviewed multiple studies to assess the link between cannabis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).
The researchers analyzed data from more than 400 million patients involved in 24 previous cross-sectional studies (capturing data at a single point in time) and cohort studies (following patients over time). One study focused on medical cannabis.
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The overall results noted a significant increase in risk of major cardiovascular events, including a 29% higher likelihood of heart attack, 20% higher risk of stroke and twice the chances of cardiovascular death.
The danger was also elevated in people who used cannabis at least once a week.
Several studies found higher odds of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.
One study pinpointed the risk among younger populations aged 15 to 22, while another observed it in patients who used cannabis more than once a week.
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One study from the primary French administrative database for hospitals found that, compared to other illicit drugs like cocaine and opioids, cannabis was a larger predictor of heart attack.
Another study analyzed the association between cannabis and acute coronary syndrome (reduced blood flow to the heart) in nearly 15,000 patients ranging from 18 to 54 years old.
The analysis found no significant association in the overall sample, but signaled a higher risk in a subgroup of patients aged 18 to 36.
Cannabis use significantly increased all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in a cohort of patients who experienced a heart attack before age 50.
A UK Biobank analysis pointed out that women have a "significantly higher" risk of cardiovascular mortality than men.
The larger review concluded that these findings reveal "positive associations" between cannabis use and MACE, and should "encourage investigating cannabis use in all patients presenting with serious cardiovascular disorders."
Although medical marijuana can provide relief for people with conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer and other illnesses, overuse has been linked to potential health risks, especially for seniors.
The authors of the French review acknowledged that there were some limitations to the findings – primarily that there is a lower prevalence of cocaine and opioids compared to cannabis use.
"Cannabis exposure was poorly reported in the included studies, which prevented our meta-analysis from assessing it," they wrote.
There was also a potential for some degree of bias in some of the studies due to lack of information or missing data.
"Studies that relied on patient surveys faced substantial bias regarding exposure and outcome misclassification when patients assessed these data themselves," the researchers noted.
Other potential limitations included overlapping data and limited timeframes.
During an appearance on "America’s Newsroom" in early June, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on a recent study that found more seniors are using cannabis than ever before, despite the potential health risks.
Siegel noted that regular use of cannabis can be dangerous if not tracked.
"You might use a gummy to go to bed, and then the next thing, you're using two gummies, or three gummies, and it could increase anxiety, it can increase discombobulation, you're not thinking clearly, ER visits are on the increase," he cautioned.
"We know about problems with the lungs," Siegel added. "It can accelerate dementia and can affect behavior."
The doctor likened the use of marijuana to the effects of smoking cigarettes in terms of damage to the heart and lungs.
"It is absolutely an active chemical we need to watch out for, and I'm very disturbed that the elderly are using it," he said.
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"We've completely jumped the gun [on legalization] because people are going to the ER with psychosis. They're going there with vomiting disorders. They're having car accidents as a result," he went on.
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"We are studying Colorado ever since it was legalized there, and the results are not pretty. We definitely jumped the gun by not anticipating all the medical risks here."
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.