Open AccessCardiovascular events post cannabis abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Irini Kotsalou,
Georgios Mantonanakis,
Αθανάσιος Κότσαλος,
Georgios Koniaris,
Athanasios Zafeirakis,
Nikolaos Dimakopoulos
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
medical science and discovery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2148-6832
DOI - 10.36472/msd.v8i6.553
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , cannabis , social isolation , addiction , anxiety , psychiatry , substance abuse , depression (economics) , public health , covid-19 , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , macroeconomics
Objective: The pandemic caused by Sars‑CoV‑2 (COVID‑19) has changed dramatically individuals’ life worldwide. The implication of measures of public health protection, the social distance and isolation, the lockdown and the decrease of social life activities caused escalated anxiety, depression, physical inactivity on the one hand and widespread unemployment and financial crisis on the other hand. Preliminary studies during COVID‑19 pandemic reported an increase in the use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and cannabis (CB). The latter has been linked with harmful cardiovascular and respiratory effects (eg. lung cancer, bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema). Especially people with substance use disorders were further stressed by the current circumstances and were found to intensify consumption of cannabinoids (1-4). This short review focuses on the possible cardiovascular impact of CB abuse in the era of Covid-19 pandemic. It aims to stress the worldwide clinical attention and the clinicians’ awareness on the development of specific prevention and intervention strategies against CB addiction during pandemics.