high blood pressure and vaporizers

[Bernardo]

My friend has high blood pressure. The doctor told him he couldn't smoke weed anymore because that would make it worse. Does using a vaporizer have the same effect on blood pressure as smoking?

[PharmaPharmer]

I havn't seen any direct comparisons in formal research but I'd assume there would be a similar if not more or less blood pressure responce.

[dykster]

I have high blood pressure that is well controlled. At the young age of 52 last reading was 100/60. I vape all the live long day. It helps me to relax and helps to calm me when I become stressed. I would test myself with a blood pressure cup and see if it's goes up when smoking or vaping. That would be the only way to know for sure and everyone's a bit different....

[Miranda]

I was told that it would raise my bp (about the only normal thing I have going for me) however I've used a cuff to test over a period of time. I've never had a high reading (other than the last time I wasn't using) . Once I started again it's been normal to slightly lower.

[neutrino99]

You are misinformed Miranda....you can check your BP all day long and you are not getting the only information. Also ..... cannabis generally LOWERS blood pressure and has a risk of postural hypotension (which means it drops when you stand or raise your head too fast and you get dizzy)

What cannabis raises is HEART RATE....this is not the same as blood pressure and cannot be measured with a cuff in the traditional way. The good thing is it is easier than that. Hold the artery on your wrist below your thumb and wait till you feel a good strong beat (and do not use your thmb to check as it has a pulse of its own...use first two fingers) and then count for 60 seconds or a shorter time and extrapolate to 60 seconds.

I have had a heart condition since I was 21 and have been on meds ever since.....it was badly regulated UNTIL I started to heavily chronically use....I cant say this will be the same for everyone. As a fitness instructor and personal trainer I use heart rate monitors on myself and my clients during exercise and so I can say I know my rate both at rest and at work and it is higher than is supposed to be ok during exercise and at rest....but my BP has been even for quite awhile and I havent had chest pains for a bit. The exercise is the best protector of the heart.

A high heart rate does not mean you will have a problem but it can put you at risk...so you should at least be aware...I believe shoppers drug mart sells polar heart rate monitors (watch style) for around 50 bucks and they are waterproof and can be worn all day long for lots of information.

Good luck Miranda and remember....you know your body better than any medical report. There are exceptions to every rule. :)

[neutrino99]

I use a volcano and the medicine is the same as smoking ..... just the lung irritation is reduced and NOT coughing can be a good thing for someone with a heart condition. :) Hope this info helps.

[Miranda]

You are misinformed Miranda....

I may have been misinformed but I believe it was by my doctors.

Since my stroke I've also had problems with TIA's (mini-strokes) and I investigated as much as I could before I started smoking because I knew it had helped me in the past.


What cannabis raises is HEART RATE

I'd never check my bp w/o also checking my heart rate (with a monitor and manually) and it also goes down not up. It could be different for me as I have other conditions as well which may affect the overall balance. The only thing I know for sure is that when I don't use I'm more prone to attacks.

[neutrino99]

I find with my other conditions that are co-morbid (ie: depression, anxiety, OCD and anger secondary to head injury) the stress from these can create more heart problems.

In the long run it is your stress and personality type that determine your risk along with genetics and other things......but anything that calms you down cant be bad.

For instance...some people say not to exercise as it raises the heart rate too...but now we know that moderate exercise is best for even a bad heart. I'm glad you are checking your heart rate too as not all monitors have this feature and some dont know to check it.

They also say you shouldnt use sativas if you are manic and they are all that help my depression. The real trouble is that we cant generalize as we are all individual as are reactions to drugs and how we metabloize them.

In the end....I think we need to be followed by a Dr....but still need to use our common sense with what we know innately about ourselves.

This is just my opinion though and not to be construed as medical advice. :)

[Miranda]

I think we need to be followed by a Dr.

I couldn't agree with you more!

The problem seems to be that there are too few doctors who know anything about it - I keep taking articles with me on visits to all my doctors - one even commented on how many I've amassed - but are they paying attention to them ? or me? I don't think so. The one who knows me best does see the benefits but on the recommendations of the other 4 won't sign.

There should be some sort of clinic or resource centre staffed by professionals who have expertise in medicinal cannabis use and can help patients such as ourselves more comprehensively.

[neutrino99]

There should be some sort of clinic or resource centre staffed by professionals who have expertise in medicinal cannabis use and can help patients such as ourselves more comprehensively.


and I couldnt agree with you more. :) I have the same issues. Three doctors all say it helps, one "won't risk the rest of his practice for one patient", one won't risk his American clinic (he has offices on BOTH sides of the border) and the last one just wont. I have searched in vain for new Doctors and get no where.....

[dykster]

There are a lot of things that increase my heart rate. When the oxygen man stopped by yesterday to do an overnight oxygen reading my heart rate was racing while he was talking....lol.
Here is a fact that I was told during my cardiac re-hab......
THE HARDEST THING ON YOUR HEART IS DIGESTING YOUR MEAL!

[Miranda]

I have searched in vain for new Doctors and get no where.

I know what you mean - I was fortunate to come across 2 names however neither are accepting new patients. Also in Ontario if you voluntarily leave one doctor's practice you have an 8 week waiting period before you can see another.

[Plode]

I've had my bp taken while zuzzed before and it lowered my systolic by 10 and diastolic by 5. I repeated this on 3 more occasion, and kept getting the same reading. I was surprised, because mj increases pulse. It increases mine a lot.

:)