Highlights
- •Lifetime cannabis use is associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
- •Males presented higher levels of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk disease than females.
- •Individuals using cannabis should be considered for appropriate cardiovascular risk reduction strategies.
- •Longitudinal studies are needed in populations to highlight the causal effects of cannabis on atherosclerosis.
Abstract
Background
The association between cardiovascular (CV) risk and cannabis use remains inconsistent.
The purpose of this study was to examine sex stratified associations of the different
lifetime aspects of cannabis use and estimated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular
disease (ASCVD) risk levels among the general UK Biobank population.
Methods
Among 104,092 volunteers of the UK Biobank population, cannabis use status was assessed
by questionnaire and range as heavy, moderate, low, and never users. Associations
between cannabis use and ASCVD risk were estimated using multiple regressions.
Results
Males presented a higher estimated 10-year ASCVD risk compared to females (7.96% vs.
2.24%, p < 0.001) and a higher proportion of heavy lifetime cannabis users (4.00% vs 2.01%,
p < 0.001). In all covariate adjusted models, lifetime heavy cannabis use was associated
with an increase in estimated 10-year ASCVD risk in both males and females, but with
a higher effect among males (in males, B = 0.51 (0.34; 068), in females, B = 0.14 (0.05; 0.23)). When considering high estimated 10-year ASCVD risk (superior
to 7.5%), similar results were observed, in males, OR=2.14 [1.82–2.51] and in females:
OR=2.07 [1.35–3.17]). The current consumption of cannabis was associated with increased
ASCVD risk in both males and females (p < 0.001). When considering the overall population, a significant interaction was observed
between sex and cannabis use (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
A positive association between estimated 10-year ASCVD risk and heavy lifetime cannabis
use was observed but this was higher in males. Longitudinal studies are needed in
general populations to highlight the causal effects of cannabis on the atherosclerosis
process.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 27, 2023
Accepted:
February 23,
2023
Received in revised form:
February 5,
2023
Received:
January 11,
2023
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
