Smoke A Joint, Have A Stroke--Australia Study By Dr. Barber Is A

[pic book]

cautionary note for patients, and their doctors who recommended have a stoke, er, use marijuana?

Edited March 8, 2013 by pic book

[Dr. Bob]

What? Where is the link or the contents of the article? What the heck are you saying?

 

Dr. Bob

[mibrains]

Bad news for pot smokers: double the stroke risk

 

Here's another compelling reason to think twice before lighting up a joint: Smoking pot may more than double your risk of stroke, according to a new study being presented here today at the International Stroke Conference.

In the New Zealand study, people aged 18 to 55 who had a stroke were 2.3 times more likely to test positive for marijuana in their urine than those who didn't have a stroke.

The study doesn't prove that smoking pot will cause a stroke. "But it provides the strongest evidence to date that a lifestyle that includes cannabis use is closely associated with a doubling of stroke risk," says study lead author P. Alan Barber, MD, PhD, a professor of clinical neurology at the University of Auckland.

Dr. Barber says he became interested in the topic after treating a young man with none of the traditional stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure. The patient admitted he was smoking pot when the symptoms began. "That stimulated us to look at the medical literature where we found a sprinkling of case reports of one to three patients with no typical risk factors who were smoking cannabis at the time of their stroke. Among them was a patient who recovered and then had a second stroke when again smoking cannabis," he says.

Barber and his colleagues

cont...

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_22538940/bad-news-pot-smokers-double-stroke-risk

[mibrains]

We know that all but one of the stroke patients who were cannabis users also used tobacco.

[mibrains]

We know that all but one of the stroke patients who were cannabis users also used tobacco.

 

However, he says he believes the stroke risk is from marijuana use and not tobacco. "For starters, this is a young age group to be having strokes, and many didn't have any of the traditional risk factors. And some patients had a stroke while actually smoking cannabis," he says.

[Dr. Bob]

Bad news for pot smokers: double the stroke risk

 

 

Here's another compelling reason to think twice before lighting up a joint: Smoking pot may more than double your risk of stroke, according to a new study being presented here today at the International Stroke Conference.

In the New Zealand study, people aged 18 to 55 who had a stroke were 2.3 times more likely to test positive for marijuana in their urine than those who didn't have a stroke.

The study doesn't prove that smoking pot will cause a stroke. "But it provides the strongest evidence to date that a lifestyle that includes cannabis use is closely associated with a doubling of stroke risk," says study lead author P. Alan Barber, MD, PhD, a professor of clinical neurology at the University of Auckland.

Dr. Barber says he became interested in the topic after treating a young man with none of the traditional stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure. The patient admitted he was smoking pot when the symptoms began. "That stimulated us to look at the medical literature where we found a sprinkling of case reports of one to three patients with no typical risk factors who were smoking cannabis at the time of their stroke. Among them was a patient who recovered and then had a second stroke when again smoking cannabis," he says.

Barber and his colleagues

cont...

http://www.denverpos...ble-stroke-risk

 

I wonder how many were drinking mountain dew when they had their stroke. Or having a vivid dream. How many were just 'sitting there' doing nothing? Perhaps if we look closely, there was a cluster (2 out of 3) that have the same zodiac sign??? Jesus, maybe we have trend or even an epidemic! Call out the National Guard.

 

Dr. Bob

[Dr. Bob]

This reminds me of a study I had to present (yes I was actually assigned to present this study) as a resident. The study was 'linking' the risk of death by motor vehicle accident to the patient's baseline serum cholesterol levels.

 

After reviewing the study, cross referencing the results to other studies via a meta analysis, my presentation was short and sweet.

 

'After an analysis of the paper combined with the world medical literature on the subject, the only conclusion I could reach is that some physicians have FAR too much time on their hands....thank you' and sat down. My colleagues clapped, including the attendings.

 

Dr. Bob

[mibrains]

pretty non scientific on the surface..

 

the comments on the page were interesting and more fun than the article itself

 

*doctors that had to much time... and were paid by someone to do a ridiculous study... begs the question who and why.....

 

follow the money.

[pic book]

We know that all but one of the stroke patients who were cannabis users also used tobacco.

Edited March 8, 2013 by pic book

[Juan Roberto]

I wonder how many were drinking mountain dew when they had their stroke....

 

Or chugging those ridiculous "energy" drinks like they're water.

 

Irrespective, it's saddening to see the plethora of "studies" out there that, when one truly looks deep, are skewed toward supporting a theory/opinion/industry. It's like the whole egg thing: once a wonder food (remember the incredible, edible egg!); then a ticking bomb of cholesterol laden nastiness; then back to being the incredible, edible egg. Now, I think they give you AIDS or a nasty rash...or communistic tendencies.

 

It'd be a lot more rational world if people kept in mind that any study can point toward results one is "curious" to find, if those results are what one "wants" to find.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Juan Roberto

[Juan Roberto]

(double post)

 

On a personal note, I take a 100mg of Metoprolol (Toprol) each day to help control my wildly fast heartbeat. Because of this condition, I avoid C. sativa ssp. sativa varieties (in medible form) because they can make my heart race to beat all hell--instead sticking with C. sativa ssp. sativa var. indica varieties to be on the safe-side. BUT, coffee will do the same thing to me as C. sativa ssp. sativa, regardless of whether or not I've ingested any Cannabis. And too much salt. And not drinking enough water. And so on. Any number of different things could send the 'ol ticker into overdrive--not just the Cannabis.

 

So the point is, I understand my limitations, and make damned sure I'm not introducing something to my system that could potentially cause a problem--because I have a health issue and need to make sure I don't!

[+Malamute]

I can back up juan on the heart issue, and can add i believe CBN can cause the same issue.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Malamute

[GregS]

Thanks Juan. I have occasionally suffered bouts with angina when inhaling the stuff. Whether they were sativa or indica varieties I did not note, but will look to the latter more than I have before.

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

This study was linked to on FARK a few weeks ago. Their headline said it all (paraphrasing a bit here)

 

Study: Marijuana doubles your risk of stroke. Study: All but one of the test subjects who tested positive for marijuana also smoked cigarettes. Fark: Cigarettes smokers have 4 times the risk of stroke. Math FTW (For the win): Marijuana use cuts stroke risk in half.