Five things you should know about drug use and CV health

The adverse effects of “your brain on drugs” have been well known to the US general public since the 1980s airing of that memorable youth-targeted public service announcement. Less widely understood, however, is the potential hazard of your heart on drugs.

Some drugs, such as cocaine, nicotine and other central nervous system stimulants, are clear culprits of CV risk, but others appear to have more subtle consequences. Intoxicants that have been considered comparatively benign, such as marijuana and alcohol, have recently been implicated in CV risk, particularly in teens and young adults. Even as some states have passed legislation making medical marijuana legal, reports have surfaced of adolescents gaining access to marijuana not prescribed to them.

Moreover, marijuana has become increasingly associated with CV events in young people, as has alcohol, another commonly abused substance. Although the dangers of smoking are well established, recent studies indicate that even “smokeless tobacco” carries some CV risk. These findings suggest that when it comes to CV health, no recreational substance is entirely “harmless.”

1. Marijuana may lead to CV complications in young adults.

Amid debates and, in some cases, legislation pertaining to the legalization of marijuana, some researchers have elucidated the possible risks associated with cannabis use in young adults. According to data from the French Addictovigilance Network, there was a steady increase in CV complications related to cannabis use in young adults between 2006 and 2010.

“Given that cannabis is perceived to be harmless by the general public and that legalization of its use is debated, data concerning its danger must be widely disseminated,” Emilie Jouanjus, PharmD, of the University Hospital of Toulouse in France, and colleagues wrote. Read more.

2. Alcohol consumption leads to increased BP in teenage boys.

According to results from a population-based study, gender-specific behavior modification in teens may prevent elevated BP in late adolescence. In a follow-up study of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study, researchers evaluated 1,771 children born between 1989 and 1992. Participants were followed until age 17 years and asked about their consumption of alcohol, smoking habits, physical activity, diet and use of prescription drugs. BP also was measured at each follow-up. The researchers found that in boys, alcohol consumption was linked to an increase in BP in the late teens, particularly among those in the highest quartile of BMI. Read more.

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3. Drug abuse in young adults is linked to rising incidence of stroke.

In another youth-focused study, substance abuse was found to be connected to a steadily rising incidence of stroke in young adults. The population-based study found that among young adults who experienced ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke in 2005, half were smokers at the time, and one in five abused illegal drugs. During the study period — which spanned from 1993-1994, 1999 and 2005 — the rates of stroke and substance abuse increased. Read more.

4. Risk for stroke may increase within 24 hours of cocaine use.

The potential CV risks of cocaine use are not exactly a surprise, both to clinicians and patients, but recent findings suggest that the effects of cocaine may be more immediate than previously understood.

In a population-based case-control study of participants aged 15 to 49 years, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that cocaine use within the past 24 hours was strongly associated with ischemic stroke. Read more.

5. Smokeless tobacco has lower CV risks than smoking, but still poses risks.

According to a scientific statement released by the American Heart Association, smokeless tobacco confers a lower CV risk than smoking, but still poses an increased risk for CVD, including fatal MI or stroke. The researchers wrote that young users of smokeless tobacco should keep these risks in mind and not be lulled into a “false sense of security.” Read more.