Cannabis Use and the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Abstract

Several observational studies have shown that cannabis use has negative effects on the cardiovascular system, but the causality of this relationship has not been confirmed. The aim of the current study was to estimate the effects of genetically determined cannabis use on risk of cardiovascular diseases. Ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms related to cannabis use were employed as instruments to estimate the association between genetically determined cannabis use and risk of cardiovascular diseases using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Summary statistics data on exposure and outcomes were obtained from different genome-wide association meta-analysis studies. The results of this MR analysis showed no causal effects of cannabis use on the risk of several common cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stroke and ischemic stroke subtypes, atrial fibrillation (AF), and heart failure. Various sensitivity analyses yielded similar results, and no heterogeneity and directional pleiotropy were observed. After adjusting for tobacco use and body mass index, multivariable MR analysis suggested a causal effect of cannabis use on small vessel stroke (SVS) [odds ratio (OR) 1.17; 95% CI 1.02–1.35; p = 0.03] and AF (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01–1.10; p = 0.01), respectively. This two-sample MR study did not demonstrate a causal effect of genetic predisposition to cannabis use on several common cardiovascular outcomes. After adjusting for tobacco use and body mass index, the multivariable MR analysis suggested a detrimental effect of cannabis use on the risk of SVS and AF, respectively.