Some young cannabis smokers who survive a stroke are nearly 50 per cent more likely than their peers to suffer a second attack, new research suggests.
The study revealed that 18-46-year-olds with cannabis use disorder (CUD) were 48 per cent more likely to be hospitalised with another stroke.
Cannabis use disorder is defined as dependent use of cannabis despite having a psychological, physical and social functioning impairment.
According to the American Heart Association, stroke rates are increasing in adults between ages 18 and 45, and each year young adults account for up to 15 per cent of strokes in the United States.
Lead author Akhil Jain, M.D., resident physician at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, Pennsylvania, said:
“Since marijuana use is more common among younger people and is now legal in several U.S. states, we felt it was crucial to study the various risks it may impose.
“First-time stroke risk among cannabis users is already established, so it intrigued us to investigate whether continued marijuana dependence also predisposes younger people to develop further strokes.”
Researchers analysed data from 161,390 Americans aged between 18 and 44 who were hospitalised between October 2015 and 2017 and who had previously suffered a stroke or TIA.
The researchers found 4,690 of these patients who were diagnosed with CUD and compared their health records with patients who were not affected with the condition.
Both groups of patients had average age of 37-years-old.
The researchers found that 7 per cent of the CUD patients had been hospitalised with a recurrent stroke compared to 5 per cent in the other group.
After adjusting for other factors such as age and other health conditions, the CUD group were found to be 48 per cent more likely to have a second stroke.
Jain said:
“It is essential to increase awareness among younger adults of the adverse impact of chronic, habitual use of marijuana, especially if they have established cardiovascular disease risk factors or previous stroke episodes.”
The researchers do not know cannabis itself was responsible for the recurrent strokes.
Patients in the CUD group were also more likely to smoke tobacco (74 per cent compared to 40 per cent) and more likely to abuse alcohol (16.5 per cent versus 4 per cent) – both risk factors for stroke.
