A discovery, made by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Soroka University Medical Center, has demonstrated that medical cannabis may reduce blood pressure in older adults. Their study was published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine. Their research is one of the first investigating cannabis on blood pressure, heart rate and metabolic parameters in adults 60 and above with hypertension.
"Older adults are the fastest-growing group of medical cannabis users, yet evidence on cardiovascular safety for this population is scarce," says Dr. Ran Abuhasira of the BGU Faculty of Health Sciences and the BGU-Soroka Cannabis Clinical Research Institute. "This study is part of our ongoing effort to provide clinical research on the actual physiological effects of cannabis over time."
The scientists discovered a significant reduction in 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, with the lowest point occurring three hours after ingesting cannabis either orally via oil extracts or by smoking. Blood pressure reductions were shown in the morning and night, with greater reductions occurring at night.
"Cannabis research is in its early stages and BGU is at the forefront of evaluating clinical use based on scientific studies," says Doug Seserman, CEO of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. "This new study is one of several that has been published recently by BGU on the medicinal benefits of cannabis."