humulene and Ischemic-Attack--Transient

Case reports and hospital-based case-control studies suggest that cannabis use may increase the risk of stroke. We examined the risk of non-fatal stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) among cannabis users in the general community.. A general population survey of Australians aged 20-24 years (n=2,383), 40-44 years (n=2,525) and 60-64 years (n=2,547) was used to determine the odds of lifetime stroke or TIA among participants who had smoked cannabis in the past year while adjusting for other stroke risk factors.. There were 153 stroke/TIA cases (2.1%). After adjusting for age cohort, past year cannabis users (n=1,043) had 3.3 times the rate of stroke/TIA (95% CI 1.8-6.3, p<0.001). The incidence rate ratio (IRR) reduced to 2.3 after adjustment for covariates related to stroke, including tobacco smoking (95% CI 1.1-4.5). Elevated stroke/TIA was specific to participants who used cannabis weekly or more often (IRR 4.7, 95% CI 2.1-10.7) with no elevation among participants who used cannabis less often.. Heavy cannabis users in the general community have a higher rate of non-fatal stroke or transient ischemic attack than non-cannabis users.

Topics: Adult; Australia; Cannabis; Case-Control Studies; Female; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Marijuana Abuse; Middle Aged; Regression Analysis; Risk Factors; Smoking; Stroke; Young Adult

Topics: Cannabis; Cerebral Angiography; Corpus Striatum; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Marijuana Smoking; Stroke; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Young Adult

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Cannabis; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Male; Marijuana Abuse

There is a temporal relationship between cannabis use and stroke in case series and population-based studies.. Consecutive stroke patients, aged 18 to 55 years, who had urine screens for cannabis were compared with a cohort of control patients admitted to hospital without cardiovascular or neurological diagnoses.. One hundred sixty of 218 (73%) ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack patients had urine drug screens (100 men; mean [SD] age, 44.8 [8.7] years). Twenty-five (15.6%) patients had positive cannabis drug screens. These patients were more likely to be men (84% versus 59%; χ2: P=0.016) and tobacco smokers (88% versus 28%; χ2: P<0.001). Control urine samples were obtained from 160 patients matched for age, sex, and ethnicity. Thirteen (8.1%) control participants tested positive for cannabis. In a logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and ethnicity, cannabis use was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (odds ratio, 2.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-5.08). However after adjusting for tobacco use, an association independent of tobacco could not be confirmed (odds ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-3.70).. This study provides evidence of an association between a cannabis lifestyle that includes tobacco and ischemic stroke. Further research is required to clarify whether there is an association between cannabis and stroke independent of tobacco.. http://www.anzctr.org.au. Unique identifier: ACTRN12610000198022.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Brain Ischemia; Cannabis; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Female; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Male; Middle Aged; New Zealand; Nicotiana; Stroke; Substance-Related Disorders; Young Adult

Topics: Cannabis; Carotid Artery Diseases; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Marijuana Smoking; Middle Aged; Recurrence

Drugs are lately considered high-risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. Three male patients (mean age 24.6 years) who were heavy cannabis smokers presented with transient ischemic attacks (TIA) shortly after cannabis abuse. The complete examination of all 3 consisted of: EEG, brain CT scan, brain MRI, cerebral vessel angiography (digital subtraction and magnetic resonance angiography); also a full cerebrospinal fluid, urine and blood analysis (immunological, biochemical and hormonal tests were included). Urine was further examined for drug metabolites. An extensive cardiological investigation was carried out. Small vessel leukoencephalopathy was revealed by the brain CT and MRI. EEG recordings of the first patient showed paroxysmal sharp waves with left hemispheric dominance. The other 2 patients had diffuse delta and theta activity in their EEG tracings. The urine analysis was positive for cannabis metabolites. There were no other abnormal findings in the rest of the meticulous and thorough study of all 3 patients, which leads to the conclusion that cannabis was the only risk factor responsible for the observed TIA, contradictory to other studies, which support that cannabis is a 'safe' drug. More research is required in order for this issue to be completely elucidated.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Brain; Cannabis; Dementia, Vascular; Diagnostic Imaging; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Male; Marijuana Smoking

A 22-year-old man with a five-year history of drug and alcohol abuse presented with a left hemiparesis preceded by three transient ischaemic attacks, two of which occurred whilst smoking cannabis. Substance abuse was the only identifiable risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Cannabis; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Male; Substance-Related Disorders