NEW DELHI — Consumption of tobacco and marijuana
is expected to spike heart disease death by 50pc in the next 5 years, according
to twin studies.
It showed that while tobacco use is expected to raise
coronary heart disease death by 40 per cent, people with cannabis use disorder
are 50 per cent more likely to experience cardiogenic shock, acute myocardial
infarction, and arrhythmias.
The studies were presented at the scientific sessions during
the ongoing Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)
2025 in Washington, DC, US.
“Despite major public health campaigns to raise awareness
for the harms of tobacco and cannabis, usage is still commonplace as we
continue to see their effects on cardiovascular health,” said James B. Hermiller,
SCAI President.
Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary heart
disease, is a condition where the heart weakens due to reduced blood flow from
narrowed or blocked coronary arteries.
A team from Wayne State University, US, analysed data from
1999-2020 on ischemic heart disease mortality related to tobacco use in
individuals aged 25 and older.
Data projected a 43.7 per cent increase in tobacco-related
heart disease deaths by 2030. While the mortality trends in females decreased,
males saw the opposite with a sharp uptick in deaths.
“Tobacco-related ischemic heart disease is not just a
problem of the past. It is still a major cause of death today. If we hope to
design more targeted interventions, it’s vital for clinicians to recognise
vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected,” said Roopeessh Vempati from
the varsity
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a condition where individuals
have a problematic pattern of cannabis use, leading to distress or impairment
in day-to-day life and impacts.
Researchers from the Sinai Hospital in the US identified
1,372,419 patients who were admitted with heart failure.
The analysis revealed patients with heart failure and CUD
experienced a greater risk of serious cardiovascular events like cardiogenic
shock (27 per cent more likely), acute myocardial infarction (50 per cent more
likely), and arrhythmias (48 per cent more likely).
However, individuals with cannabis use disorder and heart
failure were found to be at a lower risk of mortality than those without the
disorder.
“Despite a lower chance of death, they are at significantly
greater odds of developing other related cardiovascular conditions like heart
attack or irregular heartbeat. This understanding is necessary for doctors and
public health professionals to warn individuals of the potential side effects
of consistent cannabis use from the start, even before heart failure occurs,”
said Syed Ishaq, MD, Internal Medicine resident at the Sinai Hospital.
