Chronic Effects: Marijuana And Blood Pressure
Smoking marijuana carries many of the same cardiovascular health hazards as smoking tobacco. A new study, published in the American Journal of Health Behaviour, analyzed data from the 2005-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
In total, 10,709 American adults were included in the retrospective study. Researchers defined marijuana use as never , past , and current . After adjusting for covariables such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use heavy users were reportedly twice as likely to have high blood pressure than never users. However, no significant differences in blood pressure existed between other categories. These results suggest that heavy marijuana use may contribute to the development of hypertension, while occasional use is unlikely to impact blood pressure in the long term.
How Much Does Smoking Raise Blood Pressure
The effect of smoking on blood pressure is not the same for everyone, but the adverse effects are similar across men and women. Although the effects of tobacco on SBP are generally positive, there are several differences between the two sexes. Males tend to have lower BP when they smoke, and females tend to have higher BP. In the first period, a smokers PP value is within the normal range, but a few years later, the effect of smoking on PP is significant.
Smoking has an immediate effect on blood pressure. It can raise it by up to 4 mm Hg. Nicotine in tobacco products triggers chemicals in the nervous system, which constricts blood vessels and contributes to high blood pressure. Long-term effects of smoking include permanent damage to the arteries, and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The connection between hypertension and smoking has been studied extensively. There are two types of smokers.
Quitting smoking is difficult, but it is worth it for your health and your blood pressure. As mentioned, smoking is a known risk factor for hypertension and heart disease. While it does raise blood pressure, it also increases your risk for a wide range of other cardiovascular diseases. It also damages the arteries and causes atherosclerosis, which is a chronic and progressive disease of the arteries. Additionally, it can cause the heart to work harder, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
Most Viewed
Overall Cannabis Is A Promising Option For Hypertension Treatment
Apart from the Harvard study, most studies show that though unmanaged hypertension can result in cardiovascular issues such as heart failure, heart attacks and strokes, cannabis does not seem to increase such risks. The Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology Journal published a report in 2006 stating,
Despite the drugs extreme popularity, reports of cannabis-related stroke and myocardial infarction are so rare as to still be reportable.
In fact, repeat use of cannabis spanning days to weeks and even developing a tolerance has been linked to lowered blood pressure for many patients. NIH backed up their findings when they concluded in 2008 that,
Pharmacological manipulation of the endocannabinoid system may offer novel therapeutic approaches in hypertension and ischemic heart disease.
Its important to note that the majority of studies on marijuana use and hypertension have focused on THC rather than CBD. For some, THC worsens episodes of anxiety and increases heart rate which may have some peripheral effects on blood pressure levels. CBD however, appears to reduce systolic blood pressure in subjects both at rest and while stressed.
At the end of the day, a low-sodium diet, an active lifestyle and stress management and responsible cannabis use might be the keys to keeping blood pressure under control.
Weed, Delivered.
Don’t Miss: High Blood Pressure Symptoms Mayo Clinic
How Does Chewing Tobacco Affect The Digestive System
- Chewing tobacco is available in either loose leaf or twist forms. Flavored tobacco lozenges also exist. No matter what form it takes, smokeless tobacco products allow tobacco to be absorbed by the digestive system or through mucous membranes and can have similar effects on the digestive system as smoking.
Does Smoking Cannabis Give You High Blood Pressure
Hypertension is a medical condition characterized by prolonged high blood pressure levels. These high blood pressure levels mean that the force exerted by the blood against the blood vessel walls is high, thus making the heart work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Ongoing stress, diet, kidney disease and weight are all factors that contribute to prehypertension and hypertension. Considering the prevalence of high blood pressure , many are wondering what the effects of cannabis are on this common condition.
Smoking of any kind is discouraged by medical experts when it comes to managing blood pressure levels. Of course, cigarettes and tobacco account for most often cautioned against, but studies conducted on cannabis smoking show that blood pressure rises a bit, shortly after consumption but then drops to lower levels as the high sets in.
While the National Institute of Health has reported that, THC inhalation evokes a greater and longer-lasting decrease of arterial blood pressure in hypertensive as compared to normotensive individuals, A Harvard Medical School study concluded that smoking marijuana increased the risk of heart attack by five times within the first hour of smoking.
Out of 3,880 men and women, only 124 subjects had smoked within that year, and the risks were also compounded by other contributing factors such as poor diet and being overweight.
Don’t Miss: Calibrate Omron
What Will Happen When I Stop Smoking
How you feel when you stop depends on how much you smoked, how addicted your body is to nicotine and how well you get ready to stop. You may crave a cigarette, and you may be hungrier than usual. You may feel edgy and have trouble concentrating. You also may cough more at first, and you may have headaches. These things happen because your body is used to nicotine. The symptoms are strongest during the first few days after quitting, but most symptoms go away in a few weeks.
Chewing Tobacco May Stress Heart Blood Vessels
Chewing tobacco may be smokeless, but it could be far from harmless to the heart and blood vessels, a small study suggests.
Chewing tobacco is a known risk factor for oral cancers, but in contrast to the case with Smoking, the cardiovascular effects of the habit have been unclear. The new study, of 16 healthy, young tobacco users, suggests that smokeless tobacco has immediate effects on blood pressure, heart rate and adrenaline release that, over time, could spell trouble for the cardiovascular system.
Researchers found that a round of tobacco dipping not only bumped up the young mens blood pressure, but also dampened the bodys normal stabilizing response to blood pressure spikes.
We dont know yet if it will have long-term consequences, said lead researcher Dr. Robert Wolk of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
However, he told Reuters Health, its possible that over time, chewing tobacco could lead to chronic high blood pressure or other ill effects on the heart and blood vessels.
Finding out whether this is the case will be important, Wolk said, as the dipping habit is on the rise among young males, particularly athletes.
For their study, Wolk and his colleagues looked at various measures of cardiovascular and nervous system activity among 16 young men before and after the volunteers used chewing tobacco.
The body wants to decrease your blood pressure, Wolk said.
The findings are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Also Check: What Causes Change In Blood Pressure
Smoking And Your Heart And Blood Vessels
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease.
The chemicals you inhale when you smoke cause damage to your heart and blood vessels that makes you more likely to develop atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arteries.
Any amount of smoking, even occasional smoking, can cause this damage to the heart and blood vessels. Smoking poses an even greater risk for some people, especially for women who use birth control pills and people with diabetes.
If you have other heart disease risk factors such as unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and overweight or obesity, smoking raises your risk of heart disease even more.
Smoking also increases your risk for peripheral artery disease . PAD is when plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, arms, and legs. People who have PAD have an increased risk for coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Secondhand smoke is the smoke breathed out when someone smokes or the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, pipe, or other tobacco product. It can damage the heart and blood vessels of people who dont smoke in the same ways that smoking causes damage to people who do.
The image shows how smoking can affect arteries. Figure A shows the location of coronary heart disease and peripheral artery disease. Figure B shows a leg artery with plaque buildup partially blocking blood flow. Figure C shows a coronary artery with atherosclerosis.
What The Risks Mean
Because marijuana can increase blood pressure and heart rate, it is important to be careful especially if you have high blood pressure already. Although the link between marijuana and cardiovascular complications is unclear, cardiovascular problems like stroke can be devastating. It is important to consult your doctor about marijuana use if you have high blood pressure or other cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Recommended Reading: Can Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure
You May Like: Can Apple Watch Do Blood Pressure
Can Quitting Smoking Raise Your Blood Pressure
When you decide to quit smoking, it can be a scary challenge to face. Having to cut a daily habit out of your life for good may seem incredibly difficult, but you are more than capable of doing it. Deciding to quit smoking has countless benefits for your health, but can quitting smoking raise your blood pressure?
Looking after your blood pressure can prevent you from suffering from a heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. You need to make sure that you are lowering your blood pressure to reduce your risk of experiencing these life-threatening conditions, but you want to make sure that you are doing the right things to lower it.
Find out below if quitting smoking raises or lowers your blood pressure so that you can begin to live a healthy life and drastically reduce your chances of experiencing life-threatening conditions.
Diastolic Goes From 90 To 101
45 year old white male, 200 pounds, 5 foot 9. I started at 45 and have become a fairly heavy edible user. I take it for nerve pain and was taking way too much for about 4 months daily. . I thought you had to get pretty high for it to work. I read that it increases bp , And started monitoring it at home. In the past few days. Repeatedly, My bottom number jumps to the high 90s and even as high as 104, Three hours after swallowing the edible. But, This is the weird part. My systolic gets better and better. Its normally in the 130s and it goes as low as 111, Which is unheard of for me. Some slight good news: When I breathe in super deep and slowly let it out, My diastolic goes back down to 86, From 104, While Im high! But I cant keep breathing like this. Its untenable. And its stressing me out. Ive been trying to dose it better. Ive reduced to 15 mg right now, So I will knock it down to 5 and see if that makes any difference. If not, I wont be able to take it until I lose weight , Or just when Im feeling suicidal from the pain.
Dont Miss: Vinegar To Lower Blood Pressure
Also Check: Claritin And High Blood Pressure
Does Chewing Tobacco Affect Hair Follicle Test
- A study showed that as smoking tobacco may destroy hair follicles extensively, and it may increase the risk of hair loss. Tobacco products can also cause poor blood circulation, which leads to hair loss. It is also associated with premature biological aging, which triggers balding in individuals genetically predisposed to hair loss.
Weed And Blood Pressure Medication
You might also be wondering, what if youre smoking weed while taking blood pressure medication? Will there be an adverse reaction? If you are smoking THC-rich cannabis and taking medication for high blood pressure, the answer is that there could be.
Goldstein explained, Smoking cannabis can be harmful for those with heart disease or hypertension since the smoke contains carbon monoxide. This gas binds to the hemoglobin in red blood cells, displacing oxygen off of the red blood cells which results in less oxygen going to the bodys tissues, including the heart. People with heart disease or high blood pressure should avoid smoking.
Instead, Goldstein recommends other methods of cannabis use, such as sublingual tinctures or edibles, which she says are safe to use if someone is on blood pressure medication. Further, Bone stressed that people who use cannabis and are on blood pressure medications need to be mindful of the possibility of an interaction with other prescription medications. This means monitoring blood pressure and reporting any dizziness to your doctor, who can adjust your dosages accordingly.
Also Check: Does Claritin Lower Blood Pressure
You May Like: Low To Lower Blood Pressure
Does Quitting Smoking Lower High Blood Pressure
Yes, quitting smoking can significantly lower your blood pressure. It is important to make changes to your unhealthy lifestyle and adopt healthy lifestyle choices to make sure that you can lower your blood pressure. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink and regularly exercising can also help to lower your blood pressure and your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke along with quittingsmoking.
Long-term smokers are more susceptible to COPD, lung cancer, and emphysema, so some people think there is no point in quitting. This isnt true and it is never too late to quit. As soon as you quit smoking, you will see numerous health benefits and notice a huge change in your health. As well as lowering your blood pressure, you will be able to lower your chances of having other smoking-related diseases.
Does Smoking Cause Increased Heart Rate
First of all, theres no doubt that smoking causes various heart problems. These can range from atherosclerosis to decreased heart function. Atherosclerosis is narrowing and hardening of the blood vessels essentially plaque buildup. When your vessels are narrow, your heart has to work twice as fast to pump blood, which puts a lot of strain on it. Eventually, this can cause something thats called an enlarged left heart syndrome, which basically means that the left side of your heart expands and weakness because of all the work it needs to do pump blood through your body. Also, you have greater chances of suffering from a heart attack or stroke because the plaque in your arteries can get dislodged and cause all sorts of problems.
However, does smoking increase your heart rate? This is still a controversial issue and more studies are needed to confirm it. Its important because elevated heart rate is not healthy athletes have a resting heart rate between 40 and 60, and regular Joes around 80 bpm.
Some studies have found that smokers have an increased HR at rest, while having a lower HR increase when exercising. Also, their peak HR during extraneous circumstances seems to be lower than that of non-smokers.
On the other hand, other studies show that smokers have a pretty much similar heart rate to non-smokers when they are not smoking. When they are smoking, their heart rate can increase by almost 30% .
You May Like: Claritin And Hypertension
Quitting Tobacco Can Help
Co-ChairmanArmand E. Sabitoni
Heart disease kills more Laborers than any job-related injury, and tobacco use, which increases the risk for high blood pressure, is a significant factor, says LIUNA General Secretary-Treasurer and LHSFNA Labor Co-Chairman Armand E. Sabitoni. The good news is that the human body is quite resilient. When you quit the tobacco habit, your risk for these life-threatening conditions begins to go down almost immediately.
High blood pressure
High blood pressure also called hypertension has few symptoms and often goes untreated. Uncontrolled high blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or higher can lead to heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart disease.
Smoking and high blood pressure
Smoking is the leading cause of premature death in both the United States and Canada, and its not always because of cancer. Of the 440,000 untimely deaths that smoking causes every year, 35 percent 154,000 are due to heart disease. Smoking contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease by:
- Constricting blood vessels
- Exposing the body to nicotine
This is how quickly health begins to improve when a smoker quits:
In addition:
- Sense of smell returns to normal
- Breath, hair and clothes smell better
- Teeth and fingernails stop yellowing
- Climbing stairs and other ordinary daily activities leaves former smokers less winded
Smokeless tobacco and high blood pressure
Measurements Of Blood Pressure And Heart Rate
Details on the methods used for measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and resting heart rate in each study are provided in supplemental material. In cohorts where information about use of blood pressure lowering medication was available a constant was added to SBP and DBP in subjects on blood pressure lowering medication as recommended by Tobin and colleagues.32 If this information was not available SBP and DBP were analysed as they were. Availability of information on blood pressure lowering medication in each study is provided in Supplemental Table S1. The following dichotomous outcomes were defined: 1) hypertension as SBP > 140 mmHg or DBP > 90 mmHg or taking blood pressure lowering medication, 2) severe hypertension as SBP > 160 mmHg or DBP > 100 mmHg, or taking blood pressure lowering medication. Thus, participants taking blood pressure lowering medication were defined as having both hypertension and severe hypertension. BMI was calculated as weight/height2 . Age was calculated as years at the time of measurements of blood pressure and heart rate.
Also Check: Can Claritin D Cause High Blood Pressure