Cannabis-related Stroke, Myth or Reality?
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Introduction
Cannabis, which is the most widely used recreational substance in the world, is considered by many consumers as safe with few negative side effects.1 This opinion is somehow strengthened by the fact that cannabis was also shown to have therapeutic applications.2 Cannabis is obtained from the plant Cannabis sativa and its varieties Cannabis indica and Cannabis americana.3 The 2 main preparations derived from cannabis are marijuana and hashish.2 The principal psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis is delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol4, and the potency of different preparations of cannabis that relates to tetrahydrocannabinol content is extremely variable.3 The plasma half-life of tetrahydrocannabinol isμ56 hours in occasional users and 28 hours in chronic users.5 Psychopharmacological acute effects associated with cannabis use are euphoria, increased self-confidence, relaxation, and a general sense of well being.3 Except for nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy, most of the potential beneficial effects are not approved by many administrations around the world. Indeed, the more common effects described as beneficial are glaucoma, analgesia, appetite in AIDS patients, tremor, Parkinson disease, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, epilepsia, anxiolytic, or antidepressive actions.1,3 However, several important negative side effects associated with cannabis are also observed. Indeed, in selected patients, acute psychiatric and behavioral abnormalities, such as anxiety, panic, and attentional abnormalities, have been reported.3,6 Risk of psychotic disorders or symptoms is higher in regular users of cannabis.6 Furthermore, psychological and physical dependence are described as chronic effects of cannabis use.6 As for other drugs, cannabis withdrawal syndrome, including anxiety, depressed mood, and sleep difficulties, may occur in heavy users on cessation.6,7 Also, somatic negative effects, such as cardiovascular complications (myocardial infarction, ventricular tachycardia, and sudden death), peripheral events (peripheral arteritis and kidney infarction), and neurological complications (eg, stroke), have been reported.1,8–10 Interestingly, despite its widespread abuse, cannabis-associated cerebrovascular disease is only infrequently reported.3 The purpose of this review is to analyze the different aspects of neurovascular complications in cannabis users as described in the literature. We searched on PubMed for articles associating the terms stroke or ischemic stroke (IS) and cannabis or marijuana. We have included articles published in English, French, Spanish, and those from our own files. There are 59 cannabis-related stroke cases11–17 in 30 published articles including 4 reviews3,13,14,16 and only 1 report linking cannabis use and cardiovascular events.1