Cannabis Smoking Linked to Wellens Syndrome, a Rare Warning of Impending Heart Attack

A young man with no CAD risk factors developed Wellens syndrome associated with cannabis smoking.

Unal, Selin et al.·Cureus·2025·lowclinical-observation
RTHC-07836Clinical Observationlow2025RETHINKTHC RESEARCH DATABASErethinkthc.com/research

Quick Facts

Study Type
clinical-observation
Evidence
low
Sample
Not reported

What This Study Found

Young male, no risk factors, serial ECG changes of Wellens syndrome. Cannabis smoking history led to timely diagnosis. Required invasive treatment.

Key Numbers

Young male. No CAD risk factors. Minimally elevated troponin. Invasive strategy required.

How They Did This

Case report with serial ECGs and troponin monitoring.

Why This Research Matters

Wellens syndrome requires invasive treatment. Cannabis as a trigger in young patients without risk factors is clinically important.

The Bigger Picture

Clinicians should consider cannabis as a risk factor for ACS in young patients without traditional risk factors.

What This Study Doesn't Tell Us

Single case. Cannot prove causation.

Questions This Raises

  • ?How often does cannabis trigger ACS?
  • ?Should cannabis history change diagnostic approach for young chest pain?

Trust & Context

Key Stat:
Evidence Grade:
Case report adding to cardiovascular risk literature.
Study Age:
2025 case report.
Original Title:
Cannabis-Induced Wellens Syndrome: A Rising Cardiovascular Risk.
Published In:
Cureus, 17(7), e88068 (2025)
Database ID:
RTHC-07836

Evidence Hierarchy

Meta-Analysis / Systematic Review
Randomized Controlled Trial
Cohort / Case-Control
Cross-Sectional / ObservationalSnapshot without intervening
This study
Case Report / Animal Study
What do these levels mean? →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can cannabis cause heart problems?

This case describes Wellens syndrome in a young man associated with cannabis, despite no traditional risk factors.

What is Wellens syndrome?

An ECG pattern warning of impending heart attack, requiring invasive treatment.

Read More on RethinkTHC

Cite This Study

RTHC-07836·https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07836

APA

Unal, Selin; Rattan, Keston; Khan, Mir Sulayman; Wang, Roy; Amro, Omar; Bukharovich, Inna. (2025). Cannabis-Induced Wellens Syndrome: A Rising Cardiovascular Risk.. Cureus, 17(7), e88068. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.88068

MLA

Unal, Selin, et al. "Cannabis-Induced Wellens Syndrome: A Rising Cardiovascular Risk.." Cureus, 2025. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.88068

RethinkTHC

RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis-Induced Wellens Syndrome: A Rising Cardiovascular R..." RTHC-07836. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/unal-2025-cannabisinduced-wellens-syndrome-a

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.