Cannabis, possible cardiac deaths and the coroner in Ireland.
Summary of "Cannabis, possible cardiac deaths and the coroner in Ireland."
BACKGROUND:
The elevated risk of triggering a myocardial infarction by smoking cannabis is limited to the first 2 h after smoking.
AIM:
To examine the possible role of cannabis in cardiac deaths. CASES AND
RESULTS:
From 3,193 coroners' cases over 2 years, there were 13 cases where the clinical information was compatible with a primary cardiac cause of death. An inquest was held in three cases. Myocardial infarction was the primary cause of death in 54%. Other causes were sudden adult death syndrome, sudden death in epilepsy, and poisoning by alcohol and diazepam. Cannabis was mentioned once only on a death certificate, but not as a cause of death. Blood delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-carboxylic acid was recorded in one case and in no case was plasma tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) measured.
CONCLUSIONS:
To attribute sudden cardiac death to cannabis, plasma THC should be measured in the toxicology screen in coroners' cases where urine cannabinoids are positive. A positive urine cannabinoids immunoassay alone is insufficient evidence in the linkage of acute cardiac death and cannabis.
Affiliation
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK, billtormey@gmail.com.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Irish journal of medical science
ISSN: 1863-4362
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22231902
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11845-011-0802-5
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Infant Mortality
Postnatal deaths from BIRTH to 365 days after birth in a given population. Postneonatal mortality represents deaths between 28 days and 365 days after birth (as defined by National Center for Health Statistics). Neonatal mortality represents deaths from birth to 27 days after birth.
Cardiac Imaging Techniques
Visualization of the heart structure and cardiac blood flow for diagnostic evaluation or to guide cardiac procedures via techniques including ENDOSCOPY (cardiac endoscopy, sometimes refered to as cardioscopy), RADIONUCLIDE IMAGING; MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING; TOMOGRAPHY; or ULTRASONOGRAPHY.
Myocytes, Cardiac
Striated muscle cells found in the heart. They are derived from cardiac myoblasts (MYOBLASTS, CARDIAC).
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