Medical Cannabis Helped a Heart Patient Whose Pain Didn't Respond to Morphine
A 63-year-old man with inoperable coronary artery disease and unstable angina unresponsive to morphine and standard medications experienced significant pain reduction and improved exercise tolerance after starting medical cannabis.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After failing all first- and second-line cardiac medications and morphine for unstable angina, a patient using edible 1:1 CBD:THC medical cannabis reported reduced frequency and severity of angina pain, discontinued long-term morphine, and showed improved functional capacity on exercise tolerance tests.
Key Numbers
63-year-old male; 22-year cardiac history; inoperable triple-vessel CAD; 6 years of progressive unstable angina despite medical management; 1:1 CBD:THC edible; ceased long-term morphine; improved exercise tolerance test results.
How They Did This
Single case report of a 63-year-old male with complex cardiac history and inoperable triple-vessel coronary artery disease treated with edible medical cannabis in conjunction with standard cardiac care.
Why This Research Matters
For patients with refractory angina who have exhausted conventional treatment options, this case raises the possibility that cannabis may offer supplementary pain relief, though controlled studies are needed.
The Bigger Picture
The endocannabinoid system's role in cardiovascular function, including vasodilation and cardioprotection during ischemia, provides a biological rationale for why cannabis might affect cardiac symptoms, but the complex cardiovascular risks of cannabis also warrant caution.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case report cannot establish efficacy or safety; placebo effect cannot be ruled out; cannabis carries its own cardiovascular risks; may not generalize to other patients.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could cannabis reduce morphine requirements in other refractory angina patients?
- ?What cardiovascular risks might cannabis pose in patients with existing CAD?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Patient ceased long-term morphine after starting medical cannabis for refractory angina
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report providing preliminary evidence in a patient who had failed standard treatments.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Application of medical cannabis in unstable angina and coronary artery disease: A case report.
- Published In:
- Medicine, 100(11), e25172 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03516
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis help with heart-related chest pain?
This single case report described improvement in a patient with refractory angina after starting medical cannabis, but case reports cannot prove efficacy. Controlled trials are needed, especially given cannabis's own cardiovascular risks.
What form of cannabis was used?
The patient used an edible form with a 1:1 ratio of CBD to THC, taken in conjunction with his standard cardiac medications.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03516APA
Shaffer, Brian L; Davis, Garrison M; Incitti, Marc A; Piper, Brian J; Entler, Brian V. (2021). Application of medical cannabis in unstable angina and coronary artery disease: A case report.. Medicine, 100(11), e25172. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000025172
MLA
Shaffer, Brian L, et al. "Application of medical cannabis in unstable angina and coronary artery disease: A case report.." Medicine, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000025172
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Application of medical cannabis in unstable angina and coron..." RTHC-03516. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/shaffer-2021-application-of-medical-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.