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Cannabis and Heart Health
by Peter Kershaw , contributing writer
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U . S ., accounting for some 659,000 deaths ( one in four deaths ) every year . The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease ( CAD ), accounting for 360,900 deaths in 2019 . About 18.2 million adults age 20 and older have CAD ( 6.7 %). Though CAD is more of a concern for the elderly , nevertheless two in 10 CAD deaths occur in adults under 65 years old .
Heart Attacks
A heart attack occurs in the U . S . every 40 seconds . That ’ s 805,000 heart attacks per year . Of these , 605,000 are first-time heart attacks , and 200,000 occur to those with no prior heart attack . An estimated one in five heart attacks are “ silent ,” meaning the person may experience only mild symptoms but not associate it with a heart attack . The damage is done , but the person may not be aware of it . However , some Emergency Room visits are also “ false alarms ” where the person thought they were having a heart attack only to discover their symptoms were caused by something else , e . g ., indigestion , panic attack , etc .
Cannabis and Heart Disease
Medical cannabis is slowly gaining ground with the medical establishment . However , they still largely discourage its use where it concerns heart disease . Among the most common concerns raised are , “ marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxins , irritants , and carcinogens found in cigarette smoke — a known contributor to heart disease as well as cancer .” 1 For reasons this author has addressed before , this is a false equivalency .
18 June 2022
But for those who share such concerns , there are alternatives to smoking , such as vaping , edibles , tinctures , etc .
This isn ’ t to say , however , that cannabis can be considered entirely safe for someone with a serious heart condition . THC is known to elevate the heart rate for approximately an hour after consumption . In rare cases , it could result in arrhythmia , including ventricular tachycardia for those with preexisting heart conditions . However , there are no similar concerns with CBD and other cannabinoids .
As is the case with all vital organs , the heart has a number of CB1 and CB2 receptors . These receptors play a vital role in the proper function of the heart . A 2006 Canadian study found , “ Thus the endogenous cardiac cannabinoid system , through activation of CB2 receptors , appears to be an important protection mechanism against myocardial ( heart muscle ) ischemia .” 2 As this author has noted previously , cannabis provides neuroprotective benefits . Studies have shown THC is a cardio-protectant . A 2006 Israeli study showed that THC protects heart cells against damage caused by hypoxia . THC also benefits the cardiovascular system , especially during stress conditions . Indica strains are known to exhibit a calming effect , mitigating stress and anxiety that precipitate some heart attacks . Can we say that cannabis prevents heart attacks ? The jury is still out . But studies have shown medical cannabis patients fare better , and their heart attacks are less severe than non-cannabis patients .
A Multi-Billion-Dollar Boondoggle
Heart disease generates immense profits for the medical establishment . It would be one thing if we were getting what we pay for , but we ’ re generally not . Pharmaceutical drugs can , in some cases , offer some relief , but they often come with harmful side effects . Bypass surgeries and stints are common surgical treatment methods that fail to address underlying causes . As such , the majority of patients who go under the knife will have to go under the knife again , often in as little as one to five years .
The underlying cause of heart disease in many cases is arterial occlusion ( arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis ) — a condition in which the arteries are clogged with plaques . The typical American , unless they ’ ve been on an exceptionally healthy diet their entire life , starts the process of arterial occlusion from a young age . Arterial plaque progressively accumulates as we age . Left untreated , even where it doesn ’ t result in a heart attack , arterial occlusion can result in serious health complications .
Gratefully , a cure for arterial occlusion was discovered shortly after WWII . U . S . Navy doctors saw thousands of cases of lead poisoning in sailors , a direct result of lead-based paints on naval vessels . Two U . S . Navy doctors discovered that calcium disodium EDTA would chelate ( bind to and mobilize ) accumulated lead from the body , eliminating it via the kidneys . As a windfall , they also discovered that chelated sailors with preexisting heart problems often fully recovered from their cardiovascular conditions . By further examination , they determined that EDTA removed plaque from the arteries , thus reversing arterial occlusion .
For several decades , intravenous EDTA was a common treatment for heart conditions — that is , up until bypass surgery was perfected . Since that time , chelation , though formerly