Study links Cannabis use disorder to 60% higher risk of heart disease

A recent population-based retrospective cohort study conducted in Alberta, Canada, has revealed a concerning connection between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes.

The study aimed to measure the association between CUD and adverse CVD outcomes using linked administrative health databases. Participants with CUD diagnosis codes were meticulously matched with those without such codes based on gender, year of birth, and time of presentation to the health system, resulting in a total of 29,764 pairs.

CVD events were defined as at least one incident diagnostic code within the study period, which spanned from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019. The overall prevalence of documented CUD in the study population was 0.8%. Among those with CUD, approximately 2.4% experienced an incident adverse CVD event, compared to 1.5% in the group without CUD. This difference amounted to a significant 60% increased risk.

Furthermore, the study highlighted that CUD was significantly associated with a reduced time to incident CVD events. Specifically, individuals without mental health comorbidity, who had not used healthcare services in the previous six months, who were not on prescription medications, and who did not have comorbid conditions appeared to have even greater risks for incident CVD.

Reference: Cannabis use disorder and adverse cardiovascular outcomes: A population-based retrospective cohort analysis of adults from Alberta, Canada, Anees Bahji et al, First published: 27 September 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16337