Recreational drug use — even cannabis — triples the risk of heart attack, stroke
Turns out that buzz could kill.
A new study has found that recreational drug users are three times more likely to have recurrent heart emergencies than those who abstain.
Over a two-week period in 2021, researchers followed nearly 1,400 patients admitted to ICUs across France.
All of the patients were tested for drugs, and 11% were found to have cannabis, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines or MDMA in their systems at the time of intake, and more than 28% tested positive for two or more of those drugs.
Researchers then tracked the patients for a year to see if they experienced cardiac emergencies or strokes.
Of this test group, roughly 6% of nonusers suffered a follow-up emergency, while a staggering 13% of drug users found themselves back in the ER with cardiovascular complications within the year.
Furthermore, drug takers were more likely than their straight-edge counterparts to suffer a heart-related death, non-fatal heart attack or stroke.
“Recreational drug use was associated with a tripling of the risk of a repeat serious cardiovascular event within one year,” said researcher Dr. Raphael Mirailles, a physician with Lariboisière Hospital in Paris.
While drug testing is not a standard protocol for treating patients in critical need, Miralilles maintains that given the results, “systemic screening should be considered in intensive care.”
Of all the substances tested for, MDMA carried the highest heart risk, with partakers four times more likely to have a follow-up episode. Earlier this summer, the FDA rejected an application to legalize MDMA for the treatment of PTSD.
Returning to the study, taking opioids upped the cardiac risk factor by 3.6 times, while cannabis use nearly doubled it.
Curiously, cocaine and amphetamines did not have a statistically significant relationship with serious cardiovascular events.
Researchers acknowledged the limited timeframe of the study and suggest further examination is necessary.
This information comes on the heels of another French study, which found that women who habitually smoke weed face a significantly higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to women who don’t use cannabis.
Other research suggests that frequent pot smoking may raise the risk of head and neck cancers.
Earlier this year, a study from the University of Southern California found marijuana users are between 3.5 and 5 times more likely to develop those cancers, known as HNCs, than those who pass on the puffing.
