The new studies are out

[hempity]

The endogenous cardiac cannabinoid system: a new protective mechanism against myocardial ischemia
Lamontagne, D., P. Lepicier, et al. (2006). Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 99 (3) Mar: 242-6.
*
The pharmacological (and recreational) effects of cannabis have been known for centuries. However, it is only recently that one has identified two subtypes of G-protein-coupled receptors, namely CB1 and CB2-receptors, which mediate the numerous effects of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids. Logically, the existence of cannabinoid-receptors implies that endogenous ligands for these receptors (endocannabinoids) exist and exert a physiological role. Hence, arachidonoylethanolamide (anandamide) and sn-2 arachidonoylglycerol, the first two endocannabinoids identified, are formed from plasma membrane phospholipids and act as CB1 and/or CB2 agonists. The presence of both CB1 and CB2-receptors in the rat heart is noteworthy. This endogenous cardiac cannabinoid system is involved in several phenomena associated with cardioprotective effects. The reduction in infarct size following myocardial ischemia, observed in rats exposed to either LPS or heat stress 24 hours before, is abolished in the presence of a CB2-receptor antagonist. Endocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids, the latter through either CB1 or CB2-receptors, exert direct cardioprotective effects in rat isolated hearts. The ability of cannabinoids to reduce infarct size has been confirmed in vivo in anesthetized mice and rats. This latter effect appears to be mediated through CB2-receptors. Thus, the endogenous cardiac cannabinoid system, through activation of CB2-receptors, appears to be an important mechanism of protection against myocardial ischemia.

This is the study that most concerned me, now they are saying to smoke cannabis to prevent angina.
Here are more studies brought to you by CCIC, The ones on psychiatry are really worth the read.

http://www.ccicnewsletter.com/index.php?customernumber=499786320472614&pr=Latest_Newsletter&=SID

[birdgirl73]

Hey, Hempity. Thanks for the post and that link to the studies. One little clarification, though, courtesy of my husband, who was reading over my shoulder and is a cardiologist. Unless there was another abstract specifically addressing the issue of angina that we couldn't find, this abstract doesn't quite make the leap to say cannabis helps prevent angina (heart-related chest pain). It says that it can reduce infarct size and seems to be important in protecting against myocardial ischemia in rat studies. An infarct is an area of dead tissue that results from blocked or reduced blood flow. Myocardial ischemia is blocked or reduced blood flow. So that may or may not have any effect on angina. He said that to make that link between cannabis and angina, there'd have to be human studies so folks could tell us whether or not they had improvements in chest pain after smoking. So far, we don't actually even know whether or not humans would show this same improvement in ischemia or infarct size that rats do. Maybe soon someone will study that and find out!

[harmonicminor]

sometimes I get chest pains after smoking and my heart seems like its about to burst.

[birdgirl73]

Do you also get chest pains after you exercise or do something strenuous? Then those two signs could be heart-related angina. It's important to go to the doc and check that out and make sure it's, say, just muscle cramps in your ribs or something.

[harmonicminor]

nope I am fine when exercising. I think it is just the fact that herb expands the blood vessels and makes your heart pump harder and then I get paranoid about it and it makes it worse. actually I havent had that happen in about 4 years. wew but recently had to quit due to a bad neck and herb making the symptoms worsen for some reason :-(
makes it so I can feel fluid shifting in my neck and brain. once it got real bad and was giving me a headache and building up and building up pressure until It just popped and then I felt great. could this be blocked arteries that got released by the mj dialating them and letting the blockage through??? I have had xrays, catscans and mri's show negative.

[birdgirl73]

Not sure what that could be. Could be something simple like muscle tension that just suddenly relaxes. It's not likely that it would be a blocked artery that released after smoking. If diagnostsic tests have shown nothing, that's a good sign. But if it keeps up--or if the chest pain keeps up and worries you--go on back to the doc and ask about it. Sometimes with neck-related matters like occluded carotid arteries, the best diagnostic tests are simply listening to the blood flow with a stethoscope and then a sonogram. If you have any family history of arteriosclerosis (blocked arteries) or high cholesterol, it might be worth checking again.

[harmonicminor]

no but another possible thing it could be is muscle like you said. the sub occipitals. I wonder why smoking would tighten them though??? hallucinogens seem to loosen it up.

[beachguy in thongs]

In one of those studies, they use a CB receptor antagonist and use those results as a dependence syndrome. CB receptors are one of the most numerous in the nervous system. That's like stopping your blood flow and then starting it again, saying that your addicted to blood.

Interesting, though.

Australian studies always seem to be "out to get you".
Their last ones, in the late 90's, was filled with mistakes.

[beachguy in thongs]

Hey, Hempity. Thanks for the post.

So far, we don't actually even know whether or not humans would show this same improvement in ischemia or infarct size that rats do. Maybe soon someone will study that and find out!

I can't remember exact details, but a Doctor involved in one of the recent studies stressed the similarity between a certain characteristic involving how our brains handle Marijuana (the rat and I).

[chloe]

nope I am fine when exercising. I think it is just the fact that herb expands the blood vessels and makes your heart pump harder and then I get paranoid about it and it makes it worse. actually I havent had that happen in about 4 years. wew but recently had to quit due to a bad neck and herb making the symptoms worsen for some reason :-(
makes it so I can feel fluid shifting in my neck and brain. once it got real bad and was giving me a headache and building up and building up pressure until It just popped and then I felt great. could this be blocked arteries that got released by the mj dialating them and letting the blockage through??? I have had xrays, catscans and mri's show negative.

I've had that same thing happen a few times, sometimes I can feel it on the side of my neck, and sometimes it's clearly inside my head. It's a really weird popping and the pressure feels all messed up. I have just always assumed that it has something to do with sinuses or the inner ear or something...

[hempity]

Hey, Hempity. Thanks for the post and that link to the studies. One little clarification, though, courtesy of my husband, who was reading over my shoulder and is a cardiologist. Unless there was another abstract specifically addressing the issue of angina that we couldn't find, this abstract doesn't quite make the leap to say cannabis helps prevent angina (heart-related chest pain).



You are welcome BG,

This study is of interest to me because my heart attacked me in 2000, I went in to have the arteries cleared and the intern performing the operation pushed a little too hard and poked through the artery, heart, and sack surrounding it, damn near killed me. I was in intensive for weeks in pain an then laid up for months with fluid filling the cavity, couldn't even lie down. Now I am disabled and can't work, but at least I am alive.
Before the attack I was on a total clean up, no booze, no smoke, nothing, when I got out of hospital, angina and pain came home with me. One day while lamenting my sad state to a friend, they told me to try a joint. Since that first joint there has been no angina, still some pain but not near as bad, my smiles have increased and I smell the roses much more, laughter has come back with a vengeance.
Even my doctors, who are all against the smoking of anything, have remarked that my blood pressure has stabilized to almost normal and that my stress seems much relieved. Guess I don't have any proof, except that even after I was told to get my affairs in order by three different heart doctors, I am still up singing, dancing, laughing, and causing trouble.

Btw.
Here is another study you might enjoy.
http://www.thc-ministry.net/cannabisinfo.htm
cannabis health journal
http://www.cannabishealth.com/site/

[hempity]

Hey, Hempity. Thanks for the post and that link to the studies. One little clarification, though, courtesy of my husband, who was reading over my shoulder and is a cardiologist. Unless there was another abstract specifically addressing the issue of angina that we couldn't find, this abstract doesn't quite make the leap to say cannabis helps prevent angina (heart-related chest pain).



You are welcome BG,

This study is of interest to me because my heart attacked me in 2000, I went in to have the arteries cleared and the intern performing the operation pushed a little too hard and poked through the artery, heart, and sack surrounding it, damn near killed me. I was in intensive for weeks in pain an then laid up for months with fluid filling the cavity, couldn't even lie down. Now I am disabled and can't work, but at least I am alive.
Before the attack I was on a total clean up, no booze, no smoke, nothing, when I got out of hospital, angina and pain came home with me. One day while lamenting my sad state to a friend, they told me to try a joint. Since that first joint there has been no angina, still some pain but not near as bad, my smiles have increased and I smell the roses much more, laughter has come back with a vengeance.
Even my doctors, who are all against the smoking of anything, have remarked that my blood pressure has stabilized to almost normal and that my stress seems much relieved. Guess I don't have any proof, except that even after I was told to get my affairs in order by three different heart doctors, I am still up singing, dancing, laughing, and causing trouble.

Btw.
Here is another study you might enjoy.
http://www.thc-ministry.net/cannabisinfo.htm
cannabis health journal
http://www.cannabishealth.com/site/

[hempity]

Well what can you expect from the disabled?
sorry for the double post.

[beachguy in thongs]

hempity, did you tell your doctors that Marijuana helps you, eases you, and, basically, cures you?

I have worlds of symptoms from Brain Trauma that are erased with one hit and incurable pain from another incident that is transformed into sparkly bliss, slowly, but, surely, throughout the day.

Oh, and the disabled apologizes about the weather. Because they know how beautiful it is.

[birdgirl73]

Hey again, Hempity. Gosh, I'm so sorry about what happened to you. That's awful, but I'm glad your personal experience has been that weed has helped your chest pain.

I have nothing that compares to your story, but I've had a heart rhythm disturbance for a few years. A really good cardio-electrophysiologist did a fancy sort of catheter-ablation procedure on me last year, which made the dysrhythm lots better. They punched through one of the septums in my heart with the catheters and the ablation probe, but those holes were an intentional part of the procedure. Healing from them, though, hurt like crazy. So I can appreciate, to a lesser degree, what chest pain is like.

I originally came online here to find a local connection to help my older sister, who's got ovarian cancer and is suffering miserably with the chemo. Weed has been a huge blessing to her. She's able to eat again and is not so nauseated or dehydrated. She's less anxious. It's just been great. The only hard thing is trying to keep it in supply since I'm not very well "connected." My husband at first had mixed feelings about my getting it for her and wasn't sure we should try it, but he now agrees with what we did and is a big advocate for medical mj in Texas. I smoked and enjoyed it 20 years ago in my college days, and I've toked a few times with her, but it seems to make what's left of my heart rhythm problem crazy. My husband says it's because it messes with my asthma. Anyway, I'm SO glad to hear another success story about medical MJ. Wish the mindset of so many folks wasn't so against it. It truly helps people.

Sorry about such a long response, but I've enjoyed talking with you. Keep on feeling well!

[beachguy in thongs]

Birdgirl, Marijuana is good for asthma. Tell your husband to listen to Peter Tosh, sometime.

[hempity]

hempity, did you tell your doctors that Marijuana helps you, eases you, and, basically, cures you?



Nah Beachguy, no cure for what I got. My doctors are very straight they would not recommend cannabis, however since I have admitted to my usage and they have seen the results, they have allowed me to put cannabis health journals in their waiting rooms and even taken some Dr Lester Grinspoon articles home with them.

[birdgirl73]

It kills me, for some reason, just like cig smoke. I don't know why, but I cough and wheeze and then eventually have to go do a breathing treatment, so maybe it's just me. Or maybe it's just not good enough product. I'm going to get a vape if I plan to keep it up. . .

Tell me about Peter Tosh?

[beachguy in thongs]

When you cough and wheeze, spit out the mucus. That's how it clears your lungs. Plus, smoking resinated bongs can make you cough by the taste, alone.

Maybe, I should've used the word "phlegm".

[beachguy in thongs]

Nah Beachguy, no cure for what I got. My doctors are very straight they would not recommend cannabis, however since I have admitted to my usage and they have seen the results, they have allowed me to put cannabis health journals in their waiting rooms and even taken some Dr Lester Grinspoon articles home with them.

The number of doctors who back medicinal marijuana is in the 100,000s of thousands. I think, like, 800,000+. The statement was released, recently, by the Virginia Nurses Association.

Peter Tosh sang "Legalize it" and that's one of the lines in the song, "Good for Asthma."

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Peter+Tosh