Cerebrovascular Complications Associated with Marijuana Use

Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Stroke: Increased Risk or Potential for Protection-A Narrative Review

Worldwide, approximately 15 million people per year suffer from stroke. With about 5 million deaths, stroke is the second most common cause of death and a major cause of long-term disability. It is estimated that about 25% of people older than 85 years will develop stroke. Cannabis sativa and derived cannabinoids have been used for recreational and medical purposes for many centuries. However, due to the legal status in the past, research faced restrictions, and cannabis use was stigmatized for potential negative impacts on health. With the changes in legal status in many countries of the world, cannabis and cannabis-derived substances such as cannabinoids and terpenes have gained more interest in medical research. Several medical effects of cannabis have been scientifically proven, and potential risks identified. In the context of stroke, the role of cannabis is controversial. The negative impact of cannabis use on stroke has been reported through case reports and population-based studies. However, potential beneficial effects of specific cannabinoids are described in animal studies under certain conditions. In this narrative review, the existing body of evidence regarding the negative and positive impacts of cannabis use prior to stroke will be critically appraised.

Prevalence of Cerebrovascular Accidents Among the US Population With Substance Use Disorders: A Nationwide Study

Introduction Globally, stroke is one of the top ten causes of death. The incidence of stroke in patients aged 44 years and younger was noted to have risen over the past three decades. This rise in stroke diagnosis among young adults could be attributed to multiple reasons, including the rising prevalence of comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, substance use disorders (SUDs), etc. Aim & objectives This study's primary aim was to evaluate the prevalence of stroke in the US population and the prevalence of SUDs amongst patients with a prior history of stroke. The secondary aim was to evaluate the association between Stroke and SUDs. Methods Our population was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between the years 2013 to 2018. We identified respondents diagnosed with stroke using the questionnaire and the history of various SUDs amongst this population. The data were analyzed using SAS software (Version 9.4). We performed univariate analysis using the chi-square and Mann-Whitney test, and a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Two hundred sixty-four thousand seven hundred forty (264,740) respondents were included in this study, and 10435 (3.94%) respondents were noted to have a history of stroke. The population subset with a stroke diagnosis was older (68 years vs. 51 years). Higher prevalence was noted among the female sex (52.14% females vs. 47.86% males), Non-Hispanic white ethnicity, followed by Non-Hispanic black & then other Hispanics (47.56% vs.25.47% vs. 7.82%), and those belonging to a lower annual household income of $0-$25,000 and $25,000-$65,000 ( 46.61% vs. 35.93% ). (p<0.0001). After adjusting for socio-demographics and coexisting comorbidities, e-cigarette [OR: 2.03; 95% CI: 2.03-2.03], cocaine [OR: 1.54; 95%CI:1.54-1.54], heroin [OR: 1.83; 95%CI: 1.83-1.83], marijuana or hashish [OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.01-1.01], were observed to have an association with higher odds of stroke than the population without a history of using these illicit drugs.  Conclusion Among respondents with a history of stroke, the use of cocaine was most prevalent, followed by marijuana/hashish, heroin, e-cigarettes, and injecting illegal drugs. The odds of having a stroke were two times higher in the population using an e-cigarette and higher among those using heroin, cocaine, and marijuana/ hashish. The Government should plan policy changes to treat SUDs in the USA, which could help reduce the stroke burden. Recall that bias and geographic variations in response rate by participants of the study were the limitations of our survey-based study.

Marijuana and endothelial dysfunction: new mechanism and therapy

Marijuana (cannabis) can cause cardiovascular side effects, yet the mechanisms and treatments remain poorly understood. In a recent study published in Cell, Wei et al. discovered that soy isoflavone genistein attenuates Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC, a main constituent from marijuana)-induced endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis by directly antagonizing peripheral cannabinoid receptor 1, demonstrating a therapeutic potential for ameliorating the cardiovascular side effects of cannabis.