How Does Cannabis Consumption Affect Heart Rate?

Story Highlights:

• THC can increase heart rate by 20-50 beats per minute. This increase occurs in order to compensate for the reduction in blood pressure caused by THC.
• Low doses of THC appear to most strongly activate pro-cardiovascular health effects. At higher THC doses, the effect on CB1 receptors overrides THC’s effect on CB2 receptors and has a net negative impact on cardiovascular health.
• CBD has beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors and improves recovery in animal models of heart attack and stroke. Consumers with heart concerns should gravitate toward high-CBD/low-THC strains.
• Cardiovascular events only represent 2% of all medical reports related to cannabis.
• Synthetic cannabinoids like “K2” and “Spice” pose the greatest risk of heart and health complications, and should be avoided by all consumers.