Abstract 11657: Cannabis Use is Associated With Abnormal P-wave Axis
Patel, N; Skipina, T; Upadhya, B; Soliman, E
Published in: Circulation
Cannabis use has been linked to incident ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CVA) and atrial arrhythmias in various case series and population studies.
Cannabis is independently associated with abnormal p-wave axis (aPWA), a marker of atrial myopathy.
This analysis included 3,600 (age 48.2 ± 5.9 years, 47.6% male, 69.1% whites) participants from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cannabis use was defined by self-report. aPWA was defined as p-wave axis outside of 0-75 degrees. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between cannabis use and aPWA. The consistency of this association was tested among subgroups stratified by demographic and comorbid covariates.
About 24.3% (n = 875) of participants were ever-cannabis users and 20.4% (n = 735) had aPWA. In multivariable and logistic regression analysis, ever- and former cannabis users had increased odds of aPWA compared to never users [OR (95% CI): 1.27 (1.03-1.56) and 1.28 (1.03-1.59), respectively]. Those reporting ≥10 lifetime uses had 40% increased odds of aPWA [OR (95% CI): 1.40 (1.07-1.84)]. This effect was stronger among ever-users with a history of cardiovascular (CV) disease versus those without [OR (95% CI): 4.11, 95% CI: 1.35 - 12.52, interaction p-value 0.03].
Cannabis use is associated with atrial myopathy reflected as aPWA. This association is stronger among participants with a history of CV disease. These findings underscore a potential mechanism by which cannabis use increases the risk for ischemic CVA/atrial arrhythmias and highlights the need for personalized cannabis risk assessment.
