A recent study straight out of the University of Colorado suggests that cannabis could help prevent the chances of a heart attack. 

Doctors from the University investigated over a million hospital records for patients who had suffered heart-related emergencies. Also included in the records were cases of Acute Myocardial Infarctions (AMI) –  a medical emergency that occurs when blockages prevent blood flow to the heart.

Of the 1,273,897 patient records reviewed for this study, 3,854 belonged to cannabis consumers. Initially, the researchers thought that cannabis consumers would experience an increased risk of health scares occurring post-hospitalization, but they were wrong.

“Perhaps the most striking finding of our study is that [cannabis] use prior to AMI was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality post-AMI,” the study’s authors wrote.

Patients who consumed the plant were less likely to experience shock and death. What’s more, cannabis consumers did not require a balloon insertion to expand blocked arteries as much as non-consumers did. However, cannabis consumers were – on average – 10 years younger when they endured a heart attack, as opposed to patients who did not consume the plant. 

Study on cannabis to prevent heart attack was funded by the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association claims that one in three deaths in the U.S. is linked to cardiovascular disease. The Association funded the study on cannabis to prevent heart attack. Medical research into treatment options for heart disease and related illnesses is funded by the nonprofit organization, which also prides itself on educating the general public about how to maintain good cardiovascular health for the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

To understand the seriousness of the issue, more Americans lose their lives as a result of heart disease on an annual basis than they do from chronic lower respiratory disease and cancer combined. As a direct effect of approximately 92 million Americans suffering from cardiovascular disease and post-stroke difficulties, the economy is dented by more than $200 billion every single year. This is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cannabis to prevent heart attack: Activation of CB2 receptors provided users with cardioprotective effects

Every human and animal has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) in their body, suggesting that plant-based medicines could be the missing puzzle piece for achieving homeostasis and relieving the symptoms of widespread illnesses/ailments.

“Cannabis use may have provided a cardioprotective effect to users,” say the researchers, who believed that patients wear protected after consuming the plant, due to the fact it activated CB2 receptors inside the body’s ECS.

Also included in the study on cannabis to prevent heart attack were references to the plant’s potential in amplifying blood flow. When blood flow was increased, the risk of stroke reduced.

Researchers call for further studies on using cannabis to prevent heart attack 

Although the results of this study were primarily positive, the researchers made a point of noting that cannabis consumers may be at higher risk of experiencing “smaller, non-fatal” heart attacks. Nonetheless, the University of Colorado researchers say that they “would strongly suggest that [cannabis] use is associated with a significant decrease in in-hospital mortality” for individuals hospitalized after a heart attack.

Further research is necessary to fully determine what effects the green, leafy plant has on cardiovascular health as a whole.