Cannabis and High Blood Pressure
Did you know that one in three American adults has high blood pressure?
If left untreated, high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) can lead to cardiovascular disease, which increases the risk for heart attack, kidney disease, and stroke. Additionally, one of the single greatest contributing factors to high blood pressure is stress. Medical Cannabis has a dual-purpose effect of treating both the underlying physiologic causes of hypertension and its greatest trigger, chronic stress. When considering effectiveness, side effect profile, and safety, there is no better treatment for stress than medical cannabis.
A 2017 study by the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago “found that THC at low doses reduced stress, while higher doses had the opposite effect, underscoring the importance of dose when it comes to THC and its effects.” This dose-dependent relationship is an important benefit because patients can gain relief from their stress without needing high doses of THC. Thus, patients can find relief from their symptoms without any psychoactive effects.
A 2007 study by McGill University found that THC works as an anti-depressant in low doses but worsens depression at higher doses. These similar findings suggest marijuana can be very effective in low doses and one does not need to consume a high dose of THC in order to see relief from their symptoms.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychotropic component found in cannabis. CBD has proven especially beneficial for treating high blood pressure, as studies show it has vasodilatory effects in humans and rats. CBD is most often taken orally or sublingually, in capsule or tincture form, but can also be inhaled.
According to NORML, “animal studies demonstrate that anandamide <link to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandamide> and other endocannabinoids profoundly suppress cardiac contractility in hypertension and can normalize blood pressure, leading some experts to speculate that the manipulation of the endocannabinoid system ‘may offer novel therapeutic approaches in a variety of cardiovascular disorders.’”
Dr. Rene Pulido is a Mayo Clinic-trained Jacksonville-based family medicine practitioner and expert in medical cannabis and alternative treatments. He was tired of seeing patients needlessly suffering from common ailments such as chronic pain, hypertension, anxiety, and stress and saw how medical cannabis improved and saved lives without relying on pharmaceuticals.
Come see Dr. Pulido and his team at Affordable Marijuana License today and let us help you kickstart your journey to wellness!
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Curious to learn more about medical cannabis or to start your medical marijuana treatment? Give the qualified team at Affordable Marijuana Clinic a call at (904) 586-0041 or submit a short application today!
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