Cardiovascular disease and cannabis

Heart disease can involve blocked, corroded and/or narrowed blood vessels. Sometimes it occurs in the heart muscle itself, while other times it affects the valves. It often manifests itself later in life as a result of poor diet, smoking habits (tobacco/cigarette smoke), diabetes and lack of exercise.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women and men in America, with over 610,000 deaths per year. It is caused by the hardening of blood vessels (sclerosis) and the accumulation of plaque over time, which reduces cardiovascular function.

Treating any type of medical condition can be complicated, but heart disease is particularly tricky. Treatment options depend considerably on the type of heart disease a person is suffering from. It seems that more and more patients are considering cannabis as an alternative to prescription drugs. Indeed, many pharmaceutical drugs come with a series of undesirable side effects that can be as dangerous and problematic as the disease itself.

As marijuana becomes increasingly accepted, information about cannabis extracts, such as CBD oil, and their ability to alleviate many ailments, and possibly even heart disease, has been a topic at the center of much research.

In this article, we look at the possible therapeutic range of CBD for heart disease, as well as some of the latest medical research on the subject.

How CBD can help heart disease

The endocannabinoid system, or SEC, is a homeostatic control center responsible for regulating all aspects of our body. Among other things, it handles «simple» processes such as blood clotting and self-regulation of body temperature. There are three main parts of the SEC, which we'll take a closer look at below:

Metabolic enzymes : They create the endocannabinoids in your body and break them down when they're no longer needed. Without these enzymes, our brains would be clogged with endocannabinoids, which would block communication between neurons.

Cannabinoid receptors : For endocannabinoids to work, they need a place to bind. Our bodies are full of cannabinoid receptors, the two best known being CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors act in the neurological system (mainly the brain and spinal cord), while CB2 receptors control the immune system and other body regulatory systems. When endocannabinoids bind to these receptors, they help moderate their respective roles, making your brain and body function more efficiently.

Endocannabinoids : Cannabinoids come from cannabis plants, while endocannabinoids are similar chemicals naturally synthesized by the human body. Two endocannabinoids have been studied: anandamide (which binds to CB1 receptors) and 2-AG, which binds to CB2 receptors. These endocannabinoids promote or inhibit the production of neurotransmitters, controlling the «neurological conversations» that take place between neurons.

CBD doesn't interact directly with the cardiovascular system, but the way it interacts with the endocannabinoid system can benefit your heart health. CBD can help fight heart disease in three main ways. These are

• Reduce inflammation
• Blood pressure reduction
• Minimize arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats).

CBD for heart disease: Reducing inflammation

Inflammation of the heart can damage or even kill cardiovascular cells. It can be caused by certain diseases, viruses, drugs or even an autoimmune attack. If left untreated, inflammation can lead to death.

CBD is well known for its potential to reduce harmful inflammation. The endocannabinoid 2-AG binds to the CB2 receptor, causing the immune system to send fewer immune cells on the attack. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine concluded that endocannabinoids behave in a «promiscuous» manner with regard to their interactions with receptors. There is a growing awareness of the close correlation between the expanded ECS and critical processes involved in inflammation.

Lower blood pressure

One of the potential side effects of CBD is a drop in blood pressure. In the case of heart disease, this is more of a treatment than a risk. CBD appears to widen blood vessels, allowing better blood flow. As a result, it reduces the damage that high blood pressure causes to arterial walls.

A randomized crossover study in healthy patients showed that a single dose of CBD could help reduce blood pressure. In this study, nine healthy men took either CBD or a placebo. The results showed that those who took CBD saw their stroke volume decrease, their blood pressure decrease after exposure to cold, and their resting systolic pressure decrease.

CBD for heart disease: Reduction of arrhythmia

Cardiac arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats too soon, too fast, too slowly or too irregularly. Arrhythmias can often be completely harmless. However, when the heart rhythm is exceptionally irregular, or comes from a damaged heart, it can present serious health risks.

Researchers aren't sure how effective CBD is in treating arrhythmias, but in rodent studies they have found it to be helpful. They believe that the endocannabinoid 2-AG plays a crucial role, but further research is needed to verify this conclusion.

Main medical studies on CBD and heart disease

One of the latest studies on CBD and heart disease was carried out by researchers at Shanghai's Fudan University and published in Science Direct. It revealed that cannabis could be useful in the management of stroke and cardiac arrest. The study focused on the effects of CBD on a condition known as cerebral ischemia. This disease is a deficiency in blood flow to the brain and is associated with several health problems such as cardiac arrest, brain damage and stroke.

The study specifically showed that CBD could relieve conditions involving impaired blood flow. However, she pointed out that the results are still in their infancy and further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Another study has revealed that, in addition to its ability to reduce blood pressure, CBD may also be useful in the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. In this study, the authors found that CBD produced a substantial cardioprotective effect against ischemia, reducing the size of the infarct.

Similar results were observed in 2010 and published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, where researchers observed that CBD not only reduces infarct size but also minimizes the severity of arrhythmias during an acute attack.

Another article (published in the same journal) reports that CBD can reduce cardiovascular tension in the vascular system. Vascular tension is a heart condition in which significant tension is exerted on the blood vessels.

Finally, a study conducted by the National Institute of Health and published in 2010 examined the possibility of using CBD to treat cardiovascular complications resulting from diabetes. In particular, the researchers looked at how CBD could potentially reduce the risk of cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease that can develop even in well-managed diabetes. They concluded that CBD reduced the effects of «cardiac fibrosis, cell death, inflammation, myocardial dysfunction, oxidative/nitrative stress and interdependent signaling pathways.»

Overall, numerous studies have been conducted on CBD for heart disease. However, more definitive data is needed before doctors can recommend CBD for specific medical conditions.

Some doctors believe it is just as effective, if not more so, than pharmaceuticals. Others find it hard to acknowledge the various reports claiming that CBD is a powerful alternative for treating heart disease. Let's hope that, as research continues, CBD's therapeutic value will be recognized on a wider scale.

Final thoughts on CBD and heart disease

As we continue to explore CBD in numerous therapeutic and medicinal applications, emerging evidence supports the idea that it could offer a treatment for heart disease. This is in addition to the various other health problems it could potentially help.

The availability of a safe, effective and affordable natural remedy for heart disease may seem too good to be true, but some say it's already here in the form of CBD oil. While some in the medical community remain skeptical, evolving research is highlighting the potential benefits of cannabis for a myriad of health problems, including heart disease.