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Does Smoking Weed Increase Blood Pressure

What Strains Are Good For High Blood Pressure

EXTENDED – Dr. Oz Talks Sleep, Medical Marijuana, High Blood Pressure, & Health Tips for 2019

Does marijuana interact with blood pressure medication? As with any drug, a chemical imbalance to your body will always produce a reaction. Always listen to your medical provider and consider what he/she tells you. However, if you are considering the use of marijuana for high blood pressure, try hybrids with higher CBD content. If you are unsure, you can always ask your budtender for the COA/information on the product. Here are some strain options or recommendations:

  • Charlottes Web

It has unique and proprietary genetics with anywhere from 10-15% CBD content. Some have noted that it helps with stress, pain, anxiety, etc. Consumers reported feeling relaxed, uplifted, and an improved mood.

  • Green Crack

It is useful in treating depression but is also used to maintain an all-day, relaxed feeling. Consumers have said it helped them with fighting fatigue, stress, and depression. It is sativa-dominant, with a THC content of 16% and CBD content of 12%.

Arrhythmogenic Properties Of Cannabis

One of the most consistent effects of cannabis smoking on heart is 20% to 100% increase in HR which can last up to 23 hours, often accompanied by a slight increase in supine blood pressure. This effect of cannabis on HR is thought to be due to cannabis induced vasodilation causing reflex tachycardia . Consumption of higher doses of cannabis can cause postural hypotension associated with dizziness or fainting . However, tolerance to the effects of cannabis develops rapidly after only a day or two of repeated exposure. Chronic marijuana use is associated with a decrease in HR, disappearance of orthostatic hypotension, increase in blood volume, and decrease in the circulatory responses to exercise which are consistent with reduced sympathetic and increased parasympathetic activity .

Medical Marijuana Status And Uses

There are two FDA-approved drugs that contain THC. These drugs treat nausea caused by chemotherapy for cancer and increase appetite in people who have severe weight loss from AIDS, according to MedlinePlus.

So far, 36 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have approved medical marijuana. Previous research suggests it can help relieve pain, some symptoms of HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and multiple sclerosis, nausea, and vomiting. Medical marijuana may also stimulate appetite, notes the National Conference on State Legislatures.

Some people turn to marijuana to reduce anxiety or stress, both of which can cause direct and indirect increases in blood pressure.

As a general rule, I would not prescribe marijuana to lower blood pressure, Dr. Kloner says. There are well-proven lifestyle modifications as well as medicines which lower blood pressure and have been shown to reduce . These include eating a low-sodium diet, engaging in regular physical activityespecially aerobic exercise like brisk walkingdrinking alcohol only in moderation, and not smoking.

If you use marijuana to treat a medical condition, you may want to weigh the benefits and potential riskslike a possible increase in blood pressurewith your doctor.

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Final Thoughts: Does Smoking Marijuana Increase Blood Pressure

People often assume that smoking cannabis causes high blood pressure because of the links between smoking tobacco cigarettes and hypertension. However, research into the effect of cannabis on blood pressure, albeit limited, shows that it may cause an initial spike in blood pressure, followed by a drop amongst some experienced users who have developed a tolerance.

If you have a tolerance for marijuana, you may not even experience the initial rise in blood pressure. The often-cited Yankey study, which was supposed to provide clear evidence that cannabis causes an increase in blood pressure, was recently retracted. There were flaws in the methodology and so the study is no longer available for public view.

Unfortunately, there isnt enough research material available to draw a definitive conclusion. Certainly, high blood pressure is more likely to be caused by a bad diet and an unhealthy lifestyle than through the occasional use of marijuana.

Nonetheless, we dont recommend using cannabis specifically to lower your heart rate or treat your blood pressure. Speak to your doctor before considering medical marijuana for any condition.

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What About Low Blood Pressure

Can Smoking Weed Increase Your Heart or Blood Pressure?  MJ PurePlay Index

Also known as hypotension, low blood pressure is when the systolic number is below 90, and the diastolic figure is below 60. You may think it is a desirable condition, but it is usually accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, blurred vision, fainting, dizziness, and a loss of concentration.

In extreme cases, the symptoms become worse and include a weak and rapid pulse, rapid, shallow breathing, and cold, clammy, pale skin.

A sudden fall in blood pressure is potentially dangerous. For example, a drop in systolic pressure from 115 to 95 may cause dizziness and fainting because the brain doesnt receive enough blood. Conditions and medications that can cause hypotension include:

  • Dehydration
  • Water pills
  • Mixing certain medications, like nitrates and erectile dysfunction pills

Seniors are at greater risk of a sudden fall in blood pressure after a meal or when they stand. Diabetes, Parkinsons disease, and certain heart conditions all increase the risk.

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Synthetic Marijuana And Its Cardiovascular Complications

Synthetic cannabinoids are cannabis preparations that were synthesized during the process of identifying cannabinoid receptors. They were first sold under the name spice which is made of cannabinomimetic JWH-018 and other cannabinoids such as CP-47, 497,497-C8 . JWH-018 has stronger affinity for CB1 and CB2 receptors and produces extreme cannabinomimetic effects compared to marijuana. SCs are marketed under various other names including K2, skunk, joker, mojo, aroma, dream and black mamba etc. and have gained increasing popularity because they are considered legal alternatives to marijuana that is safe . The rising popularity of these products has been accompanied by a significant increase in the number of emergency admissions due to SCs. In fact, in a report from Drug Abuse Warning Network in US, the number of emergency department visits specifically linked to SCs increased more than 2.5 times from 11,406 visits in 2010 to 28,531 visits in 2011 . There is considerable risk of toxicity from either acute or chronic use with evidence of an increase in the number of chronic or even daily users of this class of drugs and a parallel increase in cases of withdrawal complications .

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.

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    Healthvaping Illnesses Rise And More Teenagers Vape

    Still, edibles also come with risk. Its very easy to ingest a much higher dose of marijuana when consuming it as an edible. People who opt for edibles should understand exactly how much is in each serving and should not take more if they dont feel its effects right away.

    The problem is knowing the purity and dose, and this is extremely variable among different products regardless of the delivery system, Lavie told NBC News in an email. A low dose of pure THC is safer than a high dose of THC that has many bad contaminants.

    Im not sure people are always aware of what exactly they are getting, he added.

    Synthetic forms of marijuana, including K2, can also pose severe health problems, Lavie said. In 2018, contaminated synthetic pot in Illinois caused bleeding disorders that were so severe some doctors nearly mistook patients symptoms for Ebola.

    Synthetic pot can also be up to 100 times as potent as the THC in the cannabis plant, making these versions even more dangerous for people taking statins or blood thinners.

    Its possible that marijuana isnt always bad for the heart, however. Using medical marijuana as prescribed could lead to less stress, for example.

    Follow NBC HEALTH on & .

    Kaitlin Sullivan is a contributor for NBCNews.com who has worked with NBC News Investigations. She reports on health, science and the environment and is a graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York.

    How To Use Cbd

    Does Nicotine Cause High Blood Pressure?

    There are a variety of different ways to administer a dose of CBD. Below are the most popular methods:

    • Tinctures: CBD can be applied under the tongue via dropper. This method allows user to have utmost control over the amount being administered.
    • Vaping: CBD is purchased in an oil state and then vaporized with the use of a vape pen .
    • Smoking: Certain strains of cannabis. have been specifically grown to have a much higher CBD-THC ratio. Unfortunately, this only applies to those living in parts of the world where medical cannabis is legal.
    • Edibles: CBD can be added to food and/or drink for those whom are opposed to the harshness that is sometimes associated with smoking or vaping.

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    Smoking Weed May Triple Your Risk Of Dying From High Blood Pressure

    Its never been easier to get in the U.S., especially now that almost 30 states have declared weed legal to consume. Proponents of cannabis products say it can help with migraines, pain management, and the effects of chemotherapy.

    Weed might help you recover from workouts, and could even improve your workouts under the right circumstances. On the downside, it could damage your blood vessels, impact your short-term memory, or evencontrary to popular expectationshinder your creativity.

    Now we can add a new strike against marijuana: It might triple your risk of dying from hypertensionor high blood pressureaccording to a new study from Georgia State University. Researchers analyzed data from more than 1,200 marijuana users at least 20 years old who had smoked for an average of 11 years, and who had been enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Pot smokers ended up 3.42 times more likely to die from high blood pressure, and that risk increased about by a factor of one for each year they smoked weed.

    This increased strain on the cardiovascular system and blood pressure would seem to be more dependent upon how you decide to consume your weed since ingesting edibles and using safer vaporizing methods instead of burning a joint or smoking a bowl would eliminate inhaling smoke into your lungs. That said, like any drug, natural or not, the key is moderation and knowing your own limits .

    For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more,

    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.

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    Cannabis And Stroke Or Heart Attack

    As far as serious adverse risks, a UC San Francisco longitudinal Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study analyzing data from 3,617 African American and Caucasian adults over a 15 year period found there was no long-term causal link between cannabis consumption and the risk of heart attack or stroke.

    However, there are a limited number of animal studies and human case reports that suggest a link between acute intoxication and stroke or heart attack. But, these findings have been called into question by a 2006 report published in the Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology Journal: Despite the drugs extreme popularity, reports of cannabis-related stroke and myocardial infarction are so rare as to still be reportable.

    Further, human case reports often dont take into account that in these rare events, people may have consumed cannabis in conjunction with alcohol, tobacco, or stimulants contemporaneously or shortly before the incident.

    Nonetheless, a Harvard Medical School study concluded that for an hour after consuming cannabis , the odds of suffering a heart attack increases by five times. Risk returns to normal within two hours. Notably, sex carries a comparable risk increase. This begs the question: does combining cannabis and sex exponentially increase ones chances of a heart attack? Were eagerly awaiting a follow-up study from Harvard to answer this question.

    How Much Does Smoking Raise Blood Pressure

    Effects of Marijuana on Blood Pressure. Does weed lower or increase ...

    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.

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    Strains For People Who Suffer From High Blood Pressure

    Smoking is one of the main causes of high blood pressure.

    If you are suffering from hypertension you should avoid smoking altogether, as it will most likely cause your blood pressure to increase further.

    Smoking is not the only cannabis consumption method. Vaping and edibles can be healthier alternatives to burning up a flower.

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    What Exactly Is Cbd

    Cannabidiol is the second most prominent compound, called cannabinoid, that makes up the cannabis plant. Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol , the most famous and abundant cannabinoid, CBD is not intoxicating and therefore does not provide the famous âhighâ feeling for its users. Instead, cannabidiol has earned the nickname âthe medical compoundâ for its therapeutic and medicinal effects.

    It has been used as a form of treatment for patients that have been diagnosed with a number of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinsonâs and Alzheimerâs, epilepsy, diabetes, cancer, and many others.

    For more information on Cannabidiol, cbdeducationonline has already written an incredibly detailed article that you can read here. To understand the science behind CBDâs effect on blood pressure, itâs best to first learn how to properly and accurately decipher a blood pressure reading.

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    Is Marijuana Bad For Your Heart If Youre Over 60 Years Old

    If youre over age 60, you may be at more risk for heart complications from THC use, since this puts you more at risk for high blood pressure or an irregular heart rhythm, as well as a heart attack or stroke. We need more studies on this, but we know from observational studies that there could be an increased risk.

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