A study from Georgia State University has found that using marijuana could triple the risk of dying from high blood pressure. The study examined adults aged 20 and above, analyzing their history of marijuana use and the connection to hypertension-related deaths.
In 2005-2006, study participants were asked whether they had ever used marijuana, and those who answered “yes” were considered marijuana users. Participants also reported the age at which they first tried marijuana.
Researchers calculated the duration of use by subtracting this age from the participant’s current age.
This marijuana use information was later combined with mortality data collected in 2011 from the National Center for Health Statistics to study any links between marijuana use and the risk of death from high blood pressure.
Out of the 1,213 people involved in the study, marijuana and cigarette use was varied.
About 34% of participants used neither marijuana nor cigarettes, while 21% used only marijuana, 20% used both marijuana and cigarettes, 16% used marijuana and were former smokers, 5% were former smokers only, and 4% only smoked cigarettes.
On average, marijuana users had been using it for about 11.5 years.
The research team found that marijuana users were over three times as likely to die from high blood pressure compared to non-users. For each additional year of marijuana use, the risk of death from hypertension increased by another 1.04 times.
These findings highlight a potential risk of hypertension-related deaths among marijuana users. This connection may be due to marijuana’s impact on the cardiovascular system.
Marijuana is known to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, causing the heart to beat faster, raising blood pressure, and increasing oxygen demand. There have been reports from emergency rooms of people experiencing angina (chest pain) and even heart attacks after using marijuana.
The researchers also suggested that the heart risks associated with marijuana use could be even higher than those already recognized for cigarette smoking.
This study points to the importance of considering cardiovascular health when using marijuana, especially for people with a history of high blood pressure or other heart conditions.
Published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, this study by Barbara A. Yankey and colleagues adds to the growing body of research on the health impacts of marijuana, particularly concerning heart health.
For those interested in learning more about related health topics, recent studies have also explored the potential effects of common foods and substances on blood pressure.
For example, black licorice has been shown to elevate blood pressure dangerously in some cases, while certain nutrients from plants may help lower blood pressure.
Additionally, the heart health risks associated with marijuana use have led some scientists to advise cautious use, especially among people at risk of heart disease.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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