Heart Disease

Lars
November 13, 2020

At least 48 percent of Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, based on statistics provided by the American Heart Association. Although medicines like ACE inhibitors, Blood thinners, Diuretics offer relief for the symptoms of heart diseases, they come with many side effects. Angioplasty and heart surgeries too demand the usage of medications post-surgeries, which come with side effects.

CBD is proved to exhibit no side effects upon its usage. Various studies like “An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies” have proved that CBD has a better side effect profile when compared to other drugs.

So a growing number of Americans are using some form of CBD for various heart-related diseases. But does CBD help alleviate heart problems? Let’s dig deeper into the topic and see if CBD positively affects heart diseases?

 

What is CBD?


CBD stands for cannabidiol and is one of the active ingredients found in the Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) plant. CBD is not psychoactive, while THC, which is also an active ingredient present in the marijuana plant, causes a high sensation that is often associated with marijuana. 

The 2018 U.S. farm bill removed the Cannabis Sativa plant from the list of prohibited items under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. CBD is used to treat many ailments, including heart diseases. 

CBD can be used in many forms such as oils, tinctures, topical creams, edibles, etc. The allowed amount of THC in various CBD forms as per FDA is 0.3%, which usually doesn’t cause you high.

CBD is known to have positive effects on the cardiovascular system. It helps by reducing the stress that is put on heart rate. CBD can be used as a supplement for alleviating heart disease symptoms and, in some cases, mitigate the underlying causes of the heart condition.

CBD can be used to treat heart diseases such as Arrhythmia, high blood pressure, etc. Below are the mentions of various studies that proved the positive effects of CBD in heart ailments.

Studies supporting the usage of CBD in heart diseases?


A study called, Is the cardiovascular system a therapeutic target for cannabidiol? showed that CBD has positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Also, CBD treatment has a protective role in reducing the effects of cardiac ischemia and reducing cardiac dysfunction associated with diabetes. 

Arrhythmia is an improper beating of the heart(irregular, or too fast, or too slow). The rapid heartbeats lead to fainting and can be life-threatening.

According to a study called, Acute administration of cannabidiol in vivo suppresses ischemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias and reduces infarct size when given at reperfusion, CBD has anti-arrhythmic effects and is sufficient to minimize myocardial tissue injury irrespective of whether it is administered before or post coronary occlusion. 

Anxiety attacks can be fatal and can play a role in the development of coronary heart disease. CBD has shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety-related disorders. A study called Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series proves this.

Hypertensive heart disease is a heart condition caused by high blood pressure. Stress can cause high blood pressure. According to a study published in the JCI insight journal, CBD administration reduces resting BP and alleviates stress.

A stroke occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain is reduced. Heart diseases can increase the risk of a stroke. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain.

According to the study called, Therapeutic Potential of Non-Psychotropic Cannabidiol in Ischemic Stroke, CBD exerts positive pharmacological effects in ischemic stroke and other chronic diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Conclusion


CBD is non-psychoactive and doesn’t cause a high. Various studies have proved that CBD has a good side effect profile and is used to treat multiple diseases/disorders, including heart-related diseases.

CBD, in some cases, also mitigates the underlying causes of heart conditions. While CBD does have positive effects in many patients with heart diseases, it is always advised to use CBD along with other heart medications. Also, an expert opinion is mandatory before getting onto any program.

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