Tobacco, marijuana use to spike heart disease deaths by 50pc in next 5 years

New Delhi, May 3

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.

— IANS