Connections Between Monthly Marijuana Usage and Heart Attacks in Middle-Aged Individuals

by Roman Cheplyk
Monday, October 9, 2023
2 MIN
Connections Between Monthly Marijuana Usage and Heart Attacks in Middle-Aged Individuals

Exploratory studies delving into the underlying mechanisms of Cannabis sativa L. (commonly known as cannabis or marijuana) usage have hinted at a possible association with cardiometabolic diseases

Nevertheless, observational inquiries probing the correlation between cannabis utilization and myocardial infarction (MI) have presented conflicting outcomes. To shed light on this ambiguity, a meticulous analysis was undertaken, utilizing cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This comprehensive study spanned five 2-year cycles, encapsulating the period from 2009 to 2018. The research cohort encompassed 9,769 individuals in the middle-aged bracket (ranging from 35 to 59 years old). To ensure accuracy, sophisticated multivariable logistic regression models, factoring in sampling weights and adjusting for various cardiovascular risk elements, were meticulously applied.

Within this cohort, a significant portion, precisely a quarter (2,220 individuals), revealed a history of monthly cannabis consumption persisting over a year before experiencing an MI. Astonishingly, MI cases were reported by a mere 2.1% of all participants, with this percentage slightly rising to 3.2% among those who disclosed a history of monthly cannabis use. Upon meticulous adjustment, assessing the association between antecedent monthly cannabis use and subsequent MI when juxtaposed against abstaining from cannabis entirely yielded intriguing results. Surprisingly, no significant connection between antecedent monthly cannabis use and MI emerged (odds ratio [OR] 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35 to 1.71).

Nevertheless, the analysis took a nuanced turn when categorizing respondents based on recent cannabis use. Strikingly, the odds of MI exhibited a dramatic threefold surge (OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.08 to 8.60) when individuals reported abstaining from cannabis within the preceding month compared to those who had engaged in cannabis use within that timeframe. Interestingly, the duration of monthly cannabis use, even spanning over a decade, did not establish a significant correlation with MI (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.30 to 2.01).

In summary, this detailed examination within a demographically representative sample of middle-aged adults in the United States discerned that a history of monthly cannabis use spanning over a year before an MI did not demonstrate a distinct correlation with subsequent physician-diagnosed MI. Intriguingly, the only notable exception was a remarkable threefold increase in odds in cases where cannabis usage ceased in the month leading up to the medical incident. Any additional insights you possess regarding this specific research would be invaluable to enrich the discourse further.

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