Marijuana Linked to Elevated Heart Attack Risk in Young Adults

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Association is stronger when marijuana use is frequent.

As the decriminalization of marijuana becomes more widespread, its use is on the rise among young adults. Yet, the effects on overall health have not been well studied, including how marijuana use affects cardiovascular health.

Now a large-scale study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has found an association between recent marijuana use and increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in young people, ages 18 to 44 years. The association was strongest among those who used marijuana at least four times a month, primarily by smoking it. Users who vaped or ingested marijuana through baked goods or other edibles also had a higher incidence of MI compared with nonusers, but only those who smoked frequently showed elevated risk that was statistically significant.

The study was based on 2017 and 2018 behavioral risk survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It sought to evaluate known evidence of cardiovascular effects of marijuana in the context of MI risk for individual users. Marijuana’s chemical components can increase myocardial oxygen demand while simultaneously reducing blood flow to the myocardium. This cannabis-induced oxygen supply and demand mismatch, in the setting of […]

2021-12-07T11:34:08-05:00December 7th, 2021|Nursing, Public health|0 Comments

AJN in September: Predicting Injurious Falls, Military Sexual Trauma, Recognizing MI, More

AJN0916.Cover.OnlineThe September issue of AJN is now live. Here are some articles we’d like to bring to your attention.

CE Feature: Original Research: Predicting Injurious Falls in the Hospital Setting: Implications for Practice

Despite years of research and increasingly evidence-based practice, falls continue to be the most commonly reported adverse events experienced by hospitalized adults. Yet most of the relevant research has focused on predicting and preventing falls in general; there has been little focus on injurious falls. In an attempt to identify which patient factors are associated with injurious falls in hospitalized adults, the authors of this retrospective study analyzed 10 variables. Their findings may help hospital clinicians to identify at-risk patients and create better fall-related injury prevention interventions.

CE Feature: “Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members

The experience of military sexual trauma (MST), which can result from assault, battery, or harassment of a sexual nature, may jeopardize the mental health of service members. This article discusses the unique ways in which men may experience MST and examines how social stereotypes of masculinity, myths surrounding sexual assault, and military culture and structure often influence a man’s interpretation of an attack and his likelihood of reporting the incident or seeking treatment. It also describes current treatments for MST-related mental health conditions and addresses implications for nurses and other health care […]

2016-11-21T13:00:58-05:00August 26th, 2016|Nursing, nursing perspective|0 Comments

The Elusive Strict Diet

By Amy M. Collins, associate editor

Several days ago, we linked on our Facebook page to an abstract of a JAMA article that found that women hospitalized for myocardial infarction were more likely than men to present without chest pain. A few days later, my 59-year-old mother was told by her general practitioner that her ECG had shown an electric “blip” that could be due to scarring from an unnoticed heart attack. My mother—always too lax about these things (unlike her hypochondriac daughter)—calmly told me she always has random chest pains and it could have happened at any time.

A visit to the cardiologist a few days later eased our fears. She hadn’t had a heart attack, but was diagnosed with right bundle branch block and has to undergo further testing. With high C-reactive protein levels, elevated cholesterol, and a history of heart disease in the family, one can’t be too careful. A stress test and cardiac ultrasound have been ordered.

In discussing her cholesterol level, which had increased since my mother’s last wellness exam, the cardiologist suggested she start taking statins. Not keen on medication, and worried by recent reports of adverse effects from these drugs, she said she’d rather only start with that if there were no other options. His suggestion […]

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