High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health issue that affects many people. It happens when the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is too strong for too long. Over time, this pressure can damage the heart and other organs, leading to life-threatening problems like heart disease and stroke.
A normal blood pressure reading is around 120/80 mmHg. The first number shows the pressure when your heart beats, and the second shows the pressure when it rests between beats. If your blood pressure stays above 130/80 mmHg, doctors consider it high, and it needs to be managed to prevent complications.
Many things can raise your blood pressure, such as aging, genetics, being overweight, eating too much salty food, not being active, stress, smoking, drinking alcohol, and some medical conditions. Now, new research adds another possible risk factor to the list: marijuana use.
A study from Georgia State University has found a strong link between marijuana use and a higher risk of dying from high blood pressure. The researchers included people aged 20 and older and labeled anyone who had ever used marijuana as a marijuana user.
When they compared these users to people who had never used marijuana, they found that marijuana users were more than three times as likely to die from high blood pressure.
The risk also went up the longer someone had used marijuana. This suggests that continued use over time may do more harm to heart health.
Marijuana can affect your heart and blood vessels in several ways. It can raise your heart rate and blood pressure and increase the amount of oxygen your body needs. Some people have experienced chest pain or even heart attacks shortly after using marijuana.
The researchers believe the heart risks linked to marijuana could be greater than those linked to cigarette smoking, which is already a known danger for heart health.
This study was led by Barbara A. Yankey and published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of marijuana on heart health, these findings are a clear warning that marijuana use may not be as harmless as some people believe—especially when it comes to your heart.
If you already have high blood pressure or are at risk for heart disease, it’s important to talk to your doctor about any substance use, including marijuana. Being open with your healthcare provider can help you make safer choices and better protect your health.
As marijuana becomes more widely used and accepted in society, studies like this one remind us that we still have much to learn about its impact on the body. Until more is known, it’s wise to approach marijuana use with caution—particularly for those concerned about their heart and blood pressure.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about how diets could help lower high blood pressure, and 3 grams of omega-3s a day keep high blood pressure at bay.
For more health information, please see recent studies that beetroot juice could help reduce blood pressure, and results showing cinnamon could help lower high blood pressure.
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