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Does Weed Increase Heart Rate

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Smoking Marijuana Is Likely Worse For Your Heart Than Edibles

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Smoking marijuana might be worse for your heart than taking it in other ways, such as through edibles, says Nav Bajaj, MD, a cardiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.;

“When you smoke, marijuana is converted into different chemicals as well, which apart from the cannabinoids may have their own deleterious effect on the heart and the blood vessels.” However, Bajaj notes that there needs to be more studies to know for sure.;

According to the American Lung Association, smoking marijuana has been shown to expose you to the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as smoking tobacco. Moreover, when smoking marijuana, users often inhale more deeply than cigarette smokers, and that can lead to more tar exposure.;

While Bajaj admits that smoke of all kinds can damage arteries and the heart, there’s simply not enough large scale studies to see how exactly marijuana compares to cigarettes on heart health. For reference, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that cigarette smokers are two to four times more likely than non-smokers to develop coronary artery disease.;

Pathological Effects Of Thc

CB1 receptors are mainly located in the cardiovascular system , the central nervous system , and peripheral vasculature. THC causes an acute, dose-dependent increase in blood pressure and heart rate . Due to a quickly developing tolerance to the psychoactive effects of THC, higher doses and increasing usage frequency are commonly observed. There is evidence to suggest that increased frequency of marijuana use increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial infarction ., Furthermore, chronic THC use has been associated with increased angina frequency, likely due to a decrease in the angina threshold, diminished sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system signal transduction, serum aldosterone increases, central and peripheral vasoconstriction, and hypertension .

Marijuana has been reported to have inflammatory effects on the peripheral vascular system. The pathophysiology is extremely similar to thromboangitis obliterans , an inflammatory and thrombotic disease of the small and medium arteries and veins of the hands and feet associated with tobacco use. Additionally, cannabis usage has also been associated with claudication, Raynauds phenomenon, ischemic ulcers, and digital necrosis. Angiography of chronic cannabis users demonstrated atherosclerotic changes ranging from mild atherosclerotic plaques to total occlusion. Some users have even had improvement with marijuana smoking cessation.,

Things To Know About Marijuana And Your Heart

Posted by Marijuana Doctors on 02/05/2020 in Medical Marijuana

Updated on June 4, 2021.; Medical content reviewed by Dr. Joseph Rosado, MD, M.B.A, Chief Medical Officer

Hey there, your cardiologist calledand gave us a list of ten things they want you to know about your heart health and marijuana.;

While marijuana remains a schedule I substance under federal lawwhich limits its availability for research purposesexperts say the full picture of its health benefits on your most important of organs remains only modest and incomplete at best. Far more rigorous, double-blind clinical trials are needed to untangle how marijuana affects your heart and how cardiovascular patients can, or even should, use cannabis.;

So in honor of Heart Health Month , heres what we know, and dont, about your cardiovascular health and cannabis.;;

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Cardiovascular Disease: Does Weed Increase Heart Rate

The normal heart rate is about 70 to 80 beats per minute, and it can increase by about 20 to 50 beats per minute. In some cases, the heart rate doubles the normal rate. When you take other drugs with marijuana, these effects may increase.

Nowadays, the number of cannabis consumers increases rapidly; this means that the number of cannabis-related cardiovascular complications also increases. The problem here is that the cannabis consumers who show up in the hospitals are usually young. They possess some other risk elements that make it appear that marijuana itself plays a big role in such a problem.

There is also a study showing that the risk of having a heart attack increases nearly after the time of cannabis consumption. Others found that using cannabis weekly more could risk having a stroke. It is foreseeable that if access to cannabis increases due to its legalization, then cannabis-related cardiovascular deaths may also rise. It sounds frightening; however, there is also another study inferring that there is not enough evidence to prove that cannabis usage affects cardiovascular complications.

How Cannabis Increase Heart Rate

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Does weed increase heart rate? The answer is yes; it actually does. The increased heart rate is the result of the weed enlarging the blood vessels. This increase in the heart rate makes you even more prone to heart attacks. Specifically, this factor may become a risk for anyone who has a prior heart problem.

However, in most instances, this is not considered a big problem. As a matter of fact, if you can tolerate the weeds and the CBD that it contains just fine, then you may feel the effects start to decrease. Most weed consumers realize that they have a high tolerance to the effects of weed, but their heart rate increases when they are high. This increase happens in order to make up for the decrease in blood pressure that is caused by the effects of THC on the body.

The lowering of the blood pressure is due to the effects of THC on the body. Since THC increases the diameter of the blood vessels, the heart is forced to function harder to pump more blood. Some reports are showing that the heart can work 30 percent even harder when there is a presence of high THC in the body.

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How Does Medical Weed Cause An Increased Heart Rate

Like other potential side effects of medical weed, cannabinoids are the cause. More than 100 different cannabinoids are present in cannabis, but the two primary ones are tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol . Researchers believe THC is responsible for increasing users heart rates.

When you take medical marijuana, THC expands your blood vessels. For patients with high blood pressure, this reaction is a positive, as it lowers their blood pressure. When your heart recognizes this sudden change in pressure, however, it begins to pump faster.

How Marijuana Affects The Heart

Cannabis is filled with cannabinoids, or psychoactive chemicals unique to the plant. One cannabinoid called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is what mainly causes the psychoactive effects a person feels when they smoke or ingest the plant.;

Cannabinoids raise resting heart rate and make the heart pump harder. According to a 2019 study, the literature available on cannabis suggests it can affect the heart in three major ways:;;

  • Cannabis arteritis. Heavy cannabis use can inflame arteries, damage blood vessel walls, and reduce blood flow to the organs.;
  • Cannabis-induced vasospasms.A vasospasm is when the muscular wall of an artery contracts, causing the artery to narrow and decrease the amount of blood that can go through it.
  • Platelet aggregation. This involves tiny blood cells called platelets clumping together and forming clots, which can block blood vessels and reduce blood flow.;;

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Is Thc Harmful To Cardiovascular Health

Whether THC is harmful to cardiovascular health or not it completely relies on the dose. THC can stimulate the CB1 and CB2 receptors. However, low doses of THC happen to mostly activate the pro-cardiovascular health effects of CB2. At greater doses, the effect of THC on CB1 receptors supersedes its impact on CB2 receptors and has an accumulated negative effect on cardiovascular health.

THC in low doses has been indicated to lower plaque accumulation and the chance for atherosclerosis. This useful low-dose effect is believed to originate from the activation of THC on CB2 receptors and not CB1, proposing that the capability of THC to stimulate CB2 receptors can guard the heart, while its stimulation of CB1 receptors may hurt it.

Cardiovascular System And The Cannabis

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The cardiovascular system includes the heart, blood as well as blood vessels. The blood vessels are the ones that transport the blood throughout the entire body. When the cardiovascular system is not functioning properly, a possible heart attack may happen. Heart attack results in a stroke or the death of a part of the heart muscle. Here, the obstruction of blood vessels deprives the brain cells of certain nutrients, causing them to die.

Cannabis weed works as a vasodilator that directly smashes your heart rate. This is only because when your blood vessels become larger and your blood pressure becomes low, then your heart consequently works even harder to pump the blood. Some researchers estimate how much harder your heart can work after you smoke cannabis. They said that within the few minutes after you smoke marijuana, your normal heart rate is about 70 to 80 beats per minute, and it may increase to about 20 to 50 more beats per minute. They also state that marijuana can raise your heart rate for about 3 hours after you smoke it.

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Why Does Marijuana Increase The Heart Rate

Once the THC from cannabis interacts with the cannabinoid receptors, it impacts many of the biological systems and this includes the heart. It provokes the heart to beat faster and harder, as well as becoming the blood vessels expound. Also, THC functions separately of the ECS and influences a system known as the transient receptor ankyrin type-1 channel. This leads to further vasodilation.;

Under common circumstances, a healthful person must have a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats every minute. Nevertheless, after smoking marijuana, this can get higher by 20 to 100 percent. Moreover, these manifestations can last for 2 to 3 hours.

Does marijuana increase the heart rate? Yes, but there is no clear explanation about it. Nevertheless, experts think that it can be an outcome of too much vasodilation. While in vasodilation, the blood vessels get wider and, thus, the blood pressure lowers down. As a reaction, the heart pumps faster to counterbalance. This happening is called reflex tachycardia.

The actuality that marijuana widens the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure also prompt some individuals to feel like fainting or dizzy after smoking marijuana. The good thing for marijuana consumers is that these reactions quickly subside once you establish a tolerance. Study shows that individuals who regularly smoke marijuana are less likely to encounter that same effects.

What The Research Tells Us

A 2014 review article in the New England Journal of Medicine summarized what is known about the effects of marijuana on all aspects of health. The authors found that marijuana use has been associated with vascular conditions that increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, although the mechanisms by which that happens arent clear. The article also noted that the risk is mainly associated with immediate use of marijuana and isnt necessarily cumulative.

There is some epidemiological evidence that marijuana use in young men, in particular, is associated with an increased risk of heart attack within an hour of use, said Dr. Reid, whereas the risk in young women is not increased to the same degree.

Another article, from 2013 in the American Heart Journal, found that habitual marijuana use before a heart attack was associated with a higher mortality rate over the next 18 years, although the difference wasnt statistically significant.

Both Drs. Pipe and Reid expect increased interest in research around marijuana use. They also both said that, based on what evidence there is, as well as common sense, trying this newly legal drug should be approached with caution and that, if you must, then dont smoke it.

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Cannabis And Your Heart Rate

To get to the question at hand: Does cannabis raise your heart rate? Yes, it definitely does. Your increased heart rate is the result of the effects of weed dilating your blood vessels.

This elevated heart rate could make you more susceptible to heart attacks. In particular, this could become a risk for older folks and for anyone who has an exisisting heart problem.

But in most cases, it shouldnt be a big problem. In fact, as your tolerance to weed and the cannabinoids it contains builds up, you may notice that the effects you feel begin to decrease. For some smokers, that includes changes to heart rate.

Many weed consumers find that the higher their tolerance, the less their heart rate increases when theyre high. But one way or another, cannabis will impact your heart rate.

Possible Side Effects Of Medical Weed

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When you begin using medical marijuana, you may experience a range of side effects, such as red eyes or hunger. However, in some instances, your physician may recommend medical cannabis because of its side effects. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, for example, may rely on medical pot as an appetite stimulant.

As a patient of a licensed and compassionate medical marijuana doctor, you can trust theyre weighing the side effects of medical weed against the benefits. In their role as a practitioner, they want to create a treatment plan that offers more advantages than disadvantages.

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Cannabis And Your Cardiovascular System

OK, so what does all this have to do with weed and heart rate? How does this help us answer the question: Does cannabis raise your heart rate?

It turns out that weeds function as a vasodilator directly impacts your heart rate. Thats because when your blood vessels dilate and your blood pressure drops, your heart actually has to work harder to pump blood.

To return to the garden hose analogy, when you attach a wider hose to the faucet, youre going to need to pump a lot more water to maintain the same water pressure. Its the same thing with your heart. In order to maintain blood pressure when your blood vessels are dilated, your heart has to work overtime. And that raises your heart rate.

In fact, researchers have figured out just how much harder your heart has to work after you consume cannabis. Heres what the National Institute on Drug Abuse says: Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke the heart ratenormally 70 to 80 beats per minutemay increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or may even double in some cases.

Elsewhere, the agency states that marijuana raises heart rate for up to 3 hours after smoking.

Effects Of Cbd And Heart Rate Medication

Heart rate issues can lead to a long list of problems making it important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Because of this, doctors will often prescribe a heart rate treatment to help alleviate the symptoms as soon as possible. This medication is known to help stabilize the heart rate in all types of situations.

While CBD may positively impact the heart rate, its important to understand that you should always consult your physician before taking CBD for any conditions, including those that are heart-related. This is particularly true if you have a health condition or are taking any medication.;;

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Pot Use Appears To Change Structure Of Your Heart: Study

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Dec. 20, 2019 — Regular pot use might potentially cause changes in the heart’s structure, a new study suggests.

People who regularly use marijuana tend to have a larger left ventricle, which is the main pumping chamber of the heart, according to the findings.

Routine stoners also appeared to have early signs of impaired heart function, measured by how the fibers of the heart muscle deform during contraction, the British researchers said.

But the heart appears to recover in both size and function once a person stops using marijuana, the study found.

“Those who used cannabis regularly had enlargement of the heart, but when they saw the patient had stopped using the drug, it seems the function was improved,” said Dr. Mary Ann McLaughlin, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City who reviewed the findings.

The researchers warn that the study “should be interpreted with caution, and more research is required to understand the potential mechanisms and dose-related effects of cannabis use.

But the results jibe with concerns people have had about the effects of pot on the heart, said Dr. Martha Gulati, editor-in-chief of the American College of Cardiology’s patient education website, CardioSmart.org.

Khanji and his team studied MRIs to assess both the structure and function of participants’ hearts.

The findings were published Dec. 18 in JACC Cardiovascular Imaging.

JACC Cardiovascular Imaging

Is Cbd Only Good For Stress

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Some people may experience periods of life where stress is consistent. However, others may only experience stress from time to time. Therefore, it becomes essential to understand whether or not CBD could help stabilize the heart rate when things are not stressful.

In general, the heart rate tends to go up and down throughout the day and that is a normal part of life. However, a lot of people dont just deal with stress as some of them will have anxiety and/or other related issues that can lead to an elevated heart rate. Read on to explore more on how CBD may affect the heart rate in everyday situations.

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Can Smoking Marijuana Lead To Heart Damage Even If Youre Young

Its possible. There is likely less risk to the heart if you have no underlying heart disease or risk factors. But we dont have a lot of good data on how THC affects the heart for otherwise young and healthy people. We do know that there are more young cannabis users being hospitalized for cardiovascular causes.

There are other potential risks to young people, including how cannabis use can impact brain development. Teenagers, pregnant women, or nursing mothers should avoid it for those reasons.;

There are additional risks to smoking or vaping that carry similar risks as tobacco smoking. It can cause damage to the lungs and long-term respiratory problems such as chronic bronchitis.

Another concern is the risk of contaminants in marijuana products. The Food and Drug Administration has warned of the risk of lung injury from vitamin E acetate in THC products. Because these products are not regulated or inspected, there is a real risk of contamination with heavy metals, pesticides, or other chemicals.;

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