After heart attack, pot smoking raises post-op dangers

(HealthDay)—Election Day 2020 saw marijuana legalization continue its march across the United States, but a pair of new studies warn that smoking pot could increase risk for heart patients.

Marijuana smokers are more likely to suffer complications like excess bleeding or stroke if they undergo angioplasty to reopen clogged arteries, a University of Michigan-led study found.

Pot smokers who’ve had a heart attack or needed clogged arteries reopened also are at a greater risk of subsequent heart problems, according to a second study based on national hospital data.

Both studies are scheduled to be presented Nov. 13-17 at an online meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA). Findings presented at meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

“As marijuana is becoming more accessible across the U.S., there is a need for rigorous research to better understand the effects of marijuana use on cardiovascular health,” said Dr. Sang Gune Yoo, lead author of the first study. He’s an