New evidence suggests long-term use of cannabis may affect the structure of the heart, researchers reported last night.
The findings come from an analysis of MRI images collected for the UK Biobank.
They included 47 regular users of cannabis among some 3,407 people free of cardiovascular disease at the age of 62. There were another 105 former users of cannabis who had abstained for at least five years.
The researchers, from Queen Mary University of London, found a high incidence of large left ventricles and early signs of impaired heart function among the regular takers of cannabis. There was no link with the overall mass of the left ventricle or the amount of blood ejected with each heartbeat.
The findings were reported in JACC Cardiovascular Imaging.
Researcher Dr Mohammed Khanji, a consultant cardiologist, said: “We believe this is the first study to systematically report changes in heart structure and function associated with recreational cannabis using cardiac MRI, which is a very sensitive imaging tool and the current reference standard for assessing cardiac chambers.
"The World Health Organisation has warned about the potential harmful health effects of non-medical cannabis use and called for more research specifically around the cardiac impact.”
Khanji, M et al. Association between recreational cannabis use and cardiac structure and function. JACC Cardiovascular Imaging 18 December 2019; doi: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2019.10.012
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