Whats Known About Smoking And Blood Pressure Modulation
The association of smoking status with blood pressure phenotypes and hypertension risk remains inconclusive. Therefore, there are some mechanisms that might explain partially the findings of Liu and Byrd. The obesity and high level of adiposity body are considered major risk factors for hypertension and smoking is causally associated with lower BMI,, which could compensate the pressor effect of smoking. Another factor that could help to explain this result is vasodilator effect of cotinine, the major metabolite of nicotine. Finally, in the vast majority of studies, smokers are advised not to smoke on the day of the exam. This sudden reduction in tobacco smoke content, especially blood nicotine, might result in sympathoadrenal downregulation and withdrawal, consequently, causing reduction of blood pressure and heart rate.,
Smoking Tobacco Raises Blood Pressure But Does Cannabis Have The Same Effect
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a disease that affects 1 in 3 American adults. With this fact in mind, and the number of states who are legalizing recreational and medicinal cannabis, many people are asking what kind of effect that cannabis has on blood pressure. Smoking tobacco raises blood pressure, but does cannabis have the same effect? The answer largely depends on who you ask or which study you find to read.
Does Cbd Lower Blood Pressure
The short-term, acute effects of cannabis on blood pressure are well documented and understood. Immediately following the consumption of marijuana, there has been a noted spike in blood pressure and heart rate. However, the long-term effects of cannabis use on blood pressure are not as well understood. Faulty studies and the fact that lab results tested on animals sometimes do not transfer well to humans are factors in the lack of long-term studies on the long-term effects of cannabis on blood pressure.
Additionally, after that initial increase in blood pressure, there is also a noted a hypotensive effect and relaxed heart rate. Anecdotally, many people report cannabis as a means of maintaining healthy blood pressure, something that is backed by some research studies.
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What Are The Cardiovascular Effects Of Cannabis
Another frequently asked question about cannabis and cardiovascular health is: can weed cause a heart attack?
First, let’s again distinguish between the cannabinoids THC and CBD. For example, CBD oils containing trace levels of THC may have very different effects than smoking a high-THC strain of marijuana. Various studies have indicated that THC may have detrimental effects on cardiovascular health, whereas CBD could be helpful to the heart.
Goldstein added, “CBD does not appear to have the same risks for the heart as THC and in fact, appears to be somewhat cardioprotective.” To support this assertion, Goldstein cited a 2010 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in which researchers concluded that CBD has therapeutic potential in treating complications of diabetes, as well as some cardiovascular disorders. Most notably, CBD could reduce inflammation, a condition that can ultimately damage the blood vessels, arteries, and vital organs. So, if you apply CBD oil to your skin or swallow a few tablespoons, the impact could differ greatly than if you smoked a blunt.
To this point, there is some research that suggests smoking THC could directly or indirectly lead to a heart attack. One 2019 study titled “The Cardiovascular Effects of Marijuana: Are the Potential Adverse Effects Worth the High?” and published in the Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association showed that some people experienced a heart attack within an hour of smoking cannabis.
Damage Caused By Smoking
As a smoker, you probably know that cigarettes are bad for you. Heck, youd have to live under a rock not to. Still, youre keeping up with the habit. Chances are you did try to quit, numerous times actually, but you always find yourself lighting up.
Being just vaguely aware of the numerous ways smoking is messing with your life is not enough. Digging deep enough will help you put things in perspective and provide you with an incentive and encouragement to stick to your quit decision.
So heres a quick list of all the ways tobacco is harming you:
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Cigar And Pipe Smoke Risks
Researchers know less about how cigar and pipe smoke affects the heart and blood vessels than they do about cigarette smoke.
However, the smoke from cigars and pipes contains the same harmful chemicals as the smoke from cigarettes. Also, studies have shown that people who smoke cigars are at increased risk of heart disease.
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These changes in blood chemistry can cause plaquea waxy substance comprised of cholesterol, scar tissue, calcium, fat, and other materialto build up in your arteries, the major blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body. This plaque buildup can lead to a disease called atherosclerosis.
When the chemicals in cigarette smoke cause atherosclerosis and thickened blood in the arteries, it becomes more difficult for blood cells to move through arteries and other blood vessels to get to vital organs like the heart and brain. This can create blood clots and ultimately lead to a heart attack or stroke, even death.
Other rare but serious cardiovascular conditions that can be caused by smoking include:
- Peripheral artery disease : A condition in which the narrowing of blood vessels results in insufficient blood flow to arms, legs, hands, and feet. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of this condition, which can result in amputation.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm: A bulge that is formed in an area of the aortathe main artery that distributes blood through the bodythat sits in the abdomen. When an abdominal aortic aneurysm bursts, it can result in sudden death. More women than men die from aortic aneurysms, and nearly all deaths from this condition are caused by smoking.
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Discover How You Can Stabilize Your Blood Pressure Lower Bad Cholesterol While Maintaining Good Cholesterol And Balancing Your Blood
Hello. This is Dr. Ben, Chief Medical Advisor here at Healthy Habits Products, pointing out something important that you may not realize about the toxins in your body.
Most people believe that having a healthy heart is either a matter of good genetics or a strict diet .
The truth is, genetics and food choices are NOT the root cause of your struggle to rid your body of the risk of heart disease and a potential heart attack or stroke, no matter how hard you try. Your high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and high blood sugar have little to do with bad genes or ANY of the most common things believed to cause heart disease.
Your struggle to protect and even heal your heart comes down to 3 little-known factors that your doctor might not even know about!
Is Marijuana Good For High Blood Pressure
If you currently suffer from hypertension, you may be wondering whether marijuana can help lower your blood pressure. While the bodys endocannabinoid system plays a key role in regulating critical physiological processes, including cardiovascular function, research is yet to determine a definitive answer.
Animal models suggest that anandamide the bodys own version of THC may relax blood vessels and thus help lower blood pressure. But anandamide appears to be triphasic, meaning it produces different effects under different conditions. For instance, under some circumstances, anandamide has a stimulatory effect leading to increased blood pressure.
More rigorous human trials are needed to make any claims about the effectiveness of marijuana as a long-term treatment for hypertension.
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Benefits Of Quitting Smoking And Avoiding Secondhand Smoke
One of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease is to avoid tobacco smoke. Don’t ever start smoking. If you already smoke, quit. No matter how much or how long you’ve smoked, quitting will benefit you.
Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke. Don’t go to places where smoking is allowed. Ask friends and family members who smoke not to do it in the house and car.
Quitting smoking will reduce your risk of developing and dying from heart disease. Over time, quitting also will lower your risk of atherosclerosis and blood clots.
If you smoke and already have heart disease, quitting smoking will reduce your risk of sudden cardiac death, a second heart attack, and death from other chronic diseases.
Researchers have studied communities that have banned smoking at worksites and in public places. The number of heart attacks in these communities dropped quite a bit. Researchers think these results are due to a decrease in active smoking and reduced exposure to secondhand smoke.
How To Access Medical Marijuana Legally
The federal law still lists marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. According to them, the drug has a high potential for abuse and has no accepted medical use currently. However, the medical use of marijuana is legal in 33 US states. You can buy high-potency cannabis products from licensed dispensaries in your state. And, for that, you require a doctors recommendation.
Now, with telemedicine technology, you can talk to medical marijuana doctors New York without visiting a clinic. The process is 100 percent online and involves the following steps-
- Sign up an account
- Receive MMJ recs via email
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Smoking Blood Pressure And Heart Rate Still A Controversial Topic
Yes, the ties between smoking and heart rate and blood pressure are still somewhat of a mystery and even scientists cant agree on it. However, this doesnt mean that you get a carte blanche when it comes to smoking. Its still the number one preventable cause of death in the world.
Further studies will enlighten us as to whether or not its safe to use vaping with nicotine to help people to quit, thats all. If studies show that nicotine is significantly less responsible for high BP and HR, then vapers can reasonably argue that vaping should be recognized as a smoking cessation tool. Its certainly not an endorsement for smoking.
Bottom line? Smoking is so bad overall that it doesnt even matter if it affects blood pressure. The list of its adverse effects is still pretty long so do yourself a favor and quit today.
What Do The Numbers Mean
Blood pressure is measured by two numbers. The first number is called the systolic pressure . This is your blood pressure when your heart is squeezing blood out. The second number is called the diastolic pressure . This is the pressure between heartbeats when your heart is filling with blood.
Normal blood pressure is less than 130 over 85 . High blood pressure is 140 over 90 mm Hg or higher. If your blood pressure is between 120 over 80 mm Hg and 140 over 90 mm Hg, you have something called prehypertension
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What Strategies Can Be Useful For Quitting Smoking
Nicotine is highly addictive, but you dont have to just give it up cold turkey without any support. Strategies for smoking cessation can include nicotine replacement products such as patches or lozenges, non-nicotine medications, and support groups. Your primary care doctor can help you determine which options are best for you.
Patient Experiences
Study Design And Population
We used data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey , a longitudinal survey conducted by the Carolina Population Centre at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA, and the National Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. CHNS used a multistage random cluster method to draw samples from nine provinces that varied substantially in geography, economic development, public resources, and health indicators. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect detailed information for demographic and socioeconomic background, health, and nutrition from households and their members. It also includes collected information on community services and infrastructure from a knowledgeable community resident.
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What Cardiovascular Conditions Can Result From Smoking
Smoking cigarettes can permanently damage your heart and blood vessels. This can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease refers to multiple conditions affecting the heart and/or blood vessels. Some of these conditions include:
- Coronary heart disease, or the narrowing of blood vessels carrying blood to the heart.
- Hypertension .
Smoking cigarettes can also cause CVD by changing your blood chemistry.
Change In Skin Temperature
When you first start smoking, blood vessels are constricted. After 20 minutes of smoke cessation, the vessel constriction reduces so that along with blood pressure and heart rate, body temperature can go back to normal. The smokers hands and feet may have felt colder with the reduced blood flow to extremities, but after 20 minutes and normalized blood and oxygen flow, the temperature of hands and feet should return to normal, according to Quit Smoking Support. The long- term effects of smoking and constricted blood vessels on the skin is increased wrinkling and a look of rapid aging. Within 20 minutes of smoking cessation, with normalized oxygen delivery through blood vessels to the skin, that rapid aging begins to return to normal.
- When you first start smoking, blood vessels are constricted.
- Within 20 minutes of smoking cessation, with normalized oxygen delivery through blood vessels to the skin, that rapid aging begins to return to normal.
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Smoking Damages The Heart And Blood Vessels
The heart relies on a generous supply of oxygen and nutrients from the coronary arteries and their branches. Over the time, fatty deposits can build up inside one or more of the coronary arteries . This narrowing of the arteries reduces the flow of blood to the heart and increases the risk of heart attack. Smoking speeds up the clogging and narrowing of coronary arteries.
A heart attack occurs when a blood clot forms at a narrowed point in a coronary artery and suddenly blocks the flow of blood to the heart. If the artery remains blocked, the lack of blood supply permanently damages the area of heart muscle supplied by that artery. The severity of the heart attack depends on how much heart muscle is permanently damaged.
Smoking also damages other blood vessels. This peripheral arterial disease can reduce blood circulation, particularly to your hands and feet, and result in blood clots, gangrene and even amputation.
Nicotine And Your Heart
Nicotine, is highly addictive, However is is not a huge health hazard for people who dont suffer from heart conditions. As this stage there is no proven studies showing that It causes acute cardiac events or coronary heart disease, and it is not carcinogenic. But nicotine can be a problem for people who have heart disease. It will raise the heart rate, contradicting the goal of most treatments. Please let your GP know if you have heart disease and are using nicotine replacement.
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Weed And Blood Pressure Medication
You might also be wondering, what if you’re 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 body’s 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.
How Is High Blood Pressure Treated
If you have high blood pressure, your doctor probably will want you to make some lifestyle changes . These changes alone may lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease. If these changes do not lower your blood pressure, you may need to take medicine.
Lifestyle changes
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Do not smoke cigarettes or use any tobacco product.
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Lose weight if you are overweight.
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Exercise regularly.
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Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables and is low in fat.
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Limit the salt, alcohol, and caffeine you eat and drink.
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Reduce stress.
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Does Medical Marijuana Lower Blood Pressure
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The number of Americans at risk of heart attack and stroke has increased substantially over the last decade. According to statistics released from the American Heart Association, nearly half of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure.
Alarmingly, the rising prevalence of hypertension has coincided with the relaxation of U.S. state marijuana laws, raising questions and concerns among both health professionals and the public. People want to know, does marijuana lower blood pressure? Or does marijuana raise blood pressure? And, what are the long-term effects of cannabis on cardiovascular health?
An estimated 2 million Americans with an established cardiovascular disease currently use or have used marijuana. In this article, well review the current evidence on the acute and chronic cardiovascular effects of marijuana.