A new study from the American Heart Association indicates that cannabis use is linked to a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
This risk remained regardless of how marijuana was consumed. It might make more sense to someone that there is a risk in smoking cannabis, but the risk of heart attack or stroke remained even for those that vaped or ate it. These results attempted to take tobacco use into account, which has long been linked to a higher risk of adverse cardiovascular events. From this perspective, it appears that there isn’t a safe way to consume marijuana if you are focusing on heart health.
Marijuana has been legalized in many states across the country. However, this doesn’t mean that it is safe. There are still a lot of concerns out there about the long term impact that cannabis use has upon individuals, especially now that use is growing.
One of the major issues that influences these findings is the fact that cannabis use is so much more prevalent now than it was even 20 years ago. In 2002, it was estimated that 11 percent of the population aged 12 or older had used cannabis at least once. By 2019, about 17 percent of that same demographic was estimated to have used cannabis.
The team published their findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The team was based out of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and hopes that their findings can help prevent heart issues for people in the future. There’s always more work to do in this field of work. There’s always steps that can be taken to help those with heart disease or at risk of cardiovascular events live a higher quality of life.
Cannabis is a controversial and complicated subject. There are some benefits to its use, which is why so many states have legalized it for medical use. There’s a reason why states that have legalized it for recreational use also differentiate its medical use. There are some people that truly benefit from using cannabis.
But there are also concerns, as this study highlights. And heart health isn’t the only concern that exists. Mental health also remains a key issue that exists when it comes to marijuana usage. The benefits don’t always outweigh the risks.
Seniors are not immune to this dilemma. While some seniors benefit from its use, some are negatively impacted. As use continues to grow across the country, these issues are only going to grow in severity.
Senior care is designed to make life better for seniors as they age. Like cannabis use, this should be addressed on a case by case basis, and not on generalities. What this might look like for you and your family will likely be different than what it will look like for another family. And that’s okay. If you have questions about how senior care can help you and your family, please feel free to reach out to us. One of our professional caregivers would be happy to talk more with you.
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