Cannabis Can Trigger Heart Attacks, Arrhythmias, and Rare Cardiovascular Events | Research

The takeaway

A cardiology review summarized evidence that cannabis can trigger acute heart attacks in otherwise healthy young people, promote atherosclerosis, cause arrhythmias, and lead to Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and cannabis arteritis.

Cardiologists; emergency physicians; young adults who use cannabis regularly; anyone interested in the cardiac effects of cannabis.

Cannabis can trigger acute MI in otherwise healthy young individuals

What the researchers found

Cannabis has been linked to acute myocardial infarction in young, otherwise healthy individuals; atherogenesis acceleration; cardiac arrhythmias; Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy; and cannabis arteritis. The only definitive treatment for these conditions is complete abstinence.

Why it matters

Cannabis is often perceived as cardiovascularly benign, especially compared to tobacco. This review highlights that THC can cause serious and potentially life-threatening cardiovascular events, particularly in young users who might not otherwise be at cardiac risk.

The numbers in context

The review described specific cardiovascular conditions: acute MI, atherogenesis, arrhythmia, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and cannabis arteritis. Complete abstinence was identified as the definitive treatment across conditions.

How the study worked

Narrative review examining the long-term cardiovascular effects of THC, covering pathophysiology, clinical features, and management of cannabis-related cardiovascular conditions.

What this study cannot tell us

Narrative review format means no systematic search or quality assessment. Many of the cardiovascular associations come from case reports and case series rather than large epidemiological studies. The relative risk compared to non-users is not well quantified.

How to read the evidence

Moderate: published in a peer-reviewed cardiology journal, but narrative format with evidence largely from case reports.

When this study was published

Published in 2022.

The bigger picture

As cannabis use becomes more mainstream, cardiologists are seeing more cannabis-related cardiovascular events. The fact that these can occur in young, healthy individuals without traditional cardiac risk factors is particularly concerning and underrecognized.

Questions still open

What is the dose-response relationship between cannabis use frequency and cardiovascular risk? Are CBD-only products associated with the same cardiovascular risks? Should heavy cannabis users undergo cardiovascular screening?

Common questions

Can cannabis cause a heart attack?

Yes. Case reports and clinical evidence have linked cannabis use to acute myocardial infarction, sometimes in young people with no other cardiac risk factors. The mechanism involves THC effects on heart rate, blood pressure, and coronary artery function.

What is cannabis arteritis?

Cannabis arteritis is a condition similar to Buerger's disease where blood vessels, particularly in the extremities, become inflamed and narrowed. It has been reported in heavy cannabis users and can lead to tissue damage if cannabis use continues.

Read the original research

Cannabis and the heart: unchartered territory.

Future cardiology, 18(11), 883-890

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Parikh, Kinna; Patel, Meet; Bansal, Toram; Raco, Joseph; Gupta, Sachin; Jain, Rahul; Jain, Rohit. (2022). Cannabis and the heart: unchartered territory.. Future cardiology, 18(11), 883-890. https://doi.org/10.2217/fca-2022-0018