Marijuana is risky for people taking common heart medications

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/marijuana-risky-people-taking-common-heart-medications-n1118181

Jan. 20, 2020, 2:04 PM EST
By Kaitlin Sullivan

More than 2 million Americans with heart conditions report that they have used marijuana, but many questions remain about the drug’s effects on the heart, according to a review published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

What is known, however, is that the drug can interact with common heart medications, including statins and blood thinners, potentially putting patients at risk, the review said.

Using marijuana while on a statin or a blood thinner can change how these drugs work in the body, said lead author Dr. Muthiah Vaduganathan, a cardiologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

That’s because the same liver enzymes that break down statins or blood thinners also break down the compounds in marijuana, he said. Using them simultaneously with marijuana can change the effectiveness or the potency of the medications.

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One case report published last year found that people using marijuana while on warfarin may need to reduce their dosage by as much as 30 percent. With statins, pot can boost the potency, which could lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure.

If people who are on heart-related medications do choose to use marijuana, it’s important that they tell their doctor and their pharmacist, so the medication dosages can be adjusted if needed.

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People not taking heart medications are also advised to pay attention to how pot affects the heartbeat.

“Always pay close attention to the way marijuana affects the heartbeat.” said Dr. Sergio Fazio, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. Palpitations —when the heart races, pounds or skips a beat — are a common side effect of marijuana and could be dangerous for someone with an existing condition.

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Synthetic forms of marijuana, including K2, can also pose severe health problems, Lavie said. In 2018, contaminated synthetic pot in Illinois caused bleeding disorders that were so severe some doctors nearly mistook patients’ symptoms for Ebola.

Synthetic pot can also be up to 100 times as potent as the THC in the cannabis plant, making these versions even more dangerous for people taking statins or blood thinners.

It’s possible that marijuana isn’t always bad for the heart, however. Using medical marijuana as prescribed could lead to less stress, for example.

“Anytime someone says that they were able to get eight hours of peaceful sleep because they used a little bit of marijuana, their cardiovascular health will likely be better off with the use of marijuana,” Fazio said. “When you move to the purely recreational use, that’s where the risks associated with heart problems potentially outweigh the benefits.”


tags: drug use, drug abuse