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New research shows marijuana and heart problems could be linked

New research shows that smoking pot could have some of the same cardiovascular risks as smoking tobacco

Researchers are expressing caution about the possible danger marijuana poses to the heart.  A new review from Brigham and Women's Hospital finds smoking pot carries many of the same cardiovascular risks as smoking tobacco.

CBS News medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula is a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital. 

"For many, many people, they feel that it is completely safe. And the reality is and that's what we're beginning to expose with research like this and reviews - is that it may in fact not be harmless," she says, "Marijuana can affect the heart rhythm, the heart muscle, the blood vessels, and all of this could lead to things like arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, increased risk for heart attack, and stroke."

The study also found marijuana use in any form can interfere with certain cardiovascular medications, including blood pressure drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins, and blood thinners.

Patients with underlying cardiovascular disease may be at the highest risk, but doctors say they're seeing the symptoms even in patients who are young and healthy.   

Researchers recommend cardiologists screen their patients, asking them how often they use marijuana, how much and in what form. "People are often surprised when they're in my office and as a cardiologist, I ask about marijuana. And then I tell them, you know, marijuana could have an impact on your heart," Dr. Narula says.

Because of federal laws, research on marijuana has been severely limited. The authors are calling for more studies, but until then, they say there's enough evidence for concern. 

As vaping marijuana becomes more popular, researchers recommend informing patients that vaping the drug can be particularly potent and may have more harmful effects. 

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