Electrocardiographic alterations in patients consuming synthetic cannabinoids

Cardiac effects of 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE

Synthetic cannabinoids become increasingly popular as a supposedly safe and legal alternative to cannabis. In order to circumvent the German New Psychoactive Substances Law, producers of so-called herbal mixtures rapidly design new substances with structural alterations that are not covered by the law. Acting as full agonists not only at the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2, synthetic cannabinoids might have not only desired mental but also serious physical adverse effects. However, knowledge of adverse effects of specific substances is sparse and incomplete. This also accounts for 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE, a synthetic cannabinoid, which has been detected regularly in Germany in recent years. By using an animal model, the isolated perfused Langendorff heart, the study at hand aimed on finding out more about possible cardiovascular adverse effects of 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE. Hearts of male Wistar rats, which were excised postmortem, were exposed to two different concentrations of 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE: 13 hearts were exposed to 50 ng/ml and 12 hearts were exposed to 100 ng/ml. Thirteen control hearts were merely exposed to an additional amount of buffer solution. Functional parameters heart rate, minimal and maximum left ventricular pressure and coronary flow were documented at pre-defined time points during and after the administration of 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE/additional buffer solution. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were documented throughout the experiments and evaluated afterwards. Kruskal-Wallis analysis was performed for each functional parameter as well as for the duration of the QRS complexes and the duration of RR intervals as derived from the ECGs. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis, comprising all functional and ECG parameters, was performed. Kruskal-Wallis analysis revealed only single significant p-values for QRS duration and minimum left ventricular pressure that did not pass a Bonferroni test. The results of the multivariate approach were also comparably homogeneous, but still the model correctly recognized hearts exposed to 100 ng/ml of 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE more often than hearts exposed to the low concentration of 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE or additional buffer solution. Evaluation of the ECGs presented single cases of ST depression and QT prolongation. Though certainly not unambiguous, these findings support the assumption that 5F-Cumyl-PEGACLONE can cause severe, if not lethal, cardiac adverse effects like arrhythmias or myocardial infarctions especially if it is consumed in combination with other drugs like alcohol or if the consumer suffers from pre-existing heart diseases.

Electrocardiographic Markers of Arrhythmogenic Risk in Synthetic Cannabinoids Users

Background: Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) users appeared to have heightened risk for cardiac arrhythmias; however, current line of research is insufficient in terms of demonstrating both conventional and novel electrocardiographic arrhythmia risk indicators in this population. Objective(s): We aimed to investigate P-wave dispersion (Pwd), corrected QT interval (QTc), QTc dispersion (QTcd), Tpeak-Tend (Tp-e), Tp-e/QT ratio, corrected JT interval (JTc), and JTc dispersion (JTcd), which are shown among the risk factors for emergence of an arrhythmia, among SCs users, suggestive of possible adverse effects of SCs on the cardiac rhythm. Methods: Forty-one male SCs user patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) substance use disorder criteria and 41 healthy male controls included in the study. Substance-related characteristics were recorded. Electrocardiography recordings under standardized procedure of all participants were performed and arrhythmia risk markers were calculated from electrocardiograms (ECGs). Results: Age and heart rate per minute did not significantly differ between the groups. SCs user group had significantly higher Pwd, QTc, QTcd, Tp-e, Tp-e/QTc ratio, JTc, and JTcd values compared with controls. Among risk markers, only Pwd was significantly correlated with duration of SCs use. Conclusions: Alterations in ECG-derived markers of arrhythmia, which are acquired through an easy and cheap method, should be evaluated for the prediction and prevention of severe cardiac conditions in patients with SCs use.

Understanding the Mechanisms of Action and Effects of Drugs of Abuse

AIM

Drug abuse and addiction are major public health concerns, with millions of people worldwide affected by the negative consequences of drug use. To better understand this complex issue, a review was conducted to examine the mechanisms of action and effects of drugs of abuse, including their acute and chronic effects, the symptoms of abstinence syndrome, as well as their cardiovascular impacts.

METHODS

The analyzed data were obtained after surveying an electronic database, namely PubMed, with no time limit, grey literature sources, and reference lists of relevant articles.

RESULTS

The review highlights the different categories of drugs of abuse, such as opioids, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and cannabis, and discusses the specific ways that each drug affects the brain and body. Additionally, the review explores the short-term and long-term effects of drug abuse on the body and mind, including changes in brain structure and function, physical health problems, and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. In addition, the review explores the effects of drug abuse on cardiovascular health, focusing on electrocardiogram changes. Moreover, the analysis of relevant literature also highlighted possible genetic susceptibility in various addictions. Furthermore, the review delves into the withdrawal symptoms that occur when someone stops using drugs of abuse after a period of chronic use.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on drug abuse and addiction. The findings of this review can inform the development of evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to address this critical public health issue.

Synthetic cannabinoids and ST elevation myocardial infarction

Synthetic cannabinoids cannot be detected on a standard urine drug screen (UDS), making them a convenient drug of abuse. We report the first case of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a young patient due to coronary artery thrombosis secondary to synthetic cannabinoid use and concurrent COVID-19 infection. A 38-year-old previously healthy male developed severe chest pain and was found to have anterior STEMI and COVID-19 infection. Coronary angiography showed acute thrombotic occlusion of the mid-left anterior descending artery that was managed with thrombectomy and stent placement. He only required supportive care for COVID-19. A comprehensive literature search revealed 34 additional cases of STEMI with synthetic cannabinoid use; majority were males (97%) with mean age of 29 years. 29 patients (85.3%) underwent coronary angiography and majority had left anterior descending artery (LAD) involvement (55%), with 13 (44.8%) undergoing stent placement. We highlight STEMI as a potentially lethal complication of synthetic cannabinoids; prompt angiography may be lifesaving.

The effects of synthetic cannabinoids on the cardiovascular system: A case-control study

OBJECTIVES:

Limited clinical studies have investigated the effects of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) on the cardiovascular system (CVS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of SCs on the CVS.

METHODS:

The patient group of this single-center, prospective, case–control study consisted of adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms of SC use. Vital signs and electrocardiogram (ECG) after use of SC of patients were followed. A control group with a similar number of patients and patient demographics were formed following the patient admission process. Pulse rate, arterial blood pressure (ABP), and ECG of patient and control groups were compared using Mann–Whitney U and Chi-squared tests.

RESULTS:

A total of 148 people were included in the study, 74 in the patient group and 74 in the control group. Systolic and diastolic ABPs of patient group were statistically significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.001). P-wave width and amplitude in the patient group were significantly higher compared to the control group (P: 0.027 and P: 0.004, respectively). QRS width on patient group ECGs was significantly higher than in the control group, while T-wave amplitude was significantly lower (P: 0.045 and P < 0.001, respectively). ST elevation was seen in 12 (16.2%) subjects in the patient group, while no ST elevation was seen in the control group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

SCs can reduce systemic tension and SCs may cause changes in ECG, especially P wave, ST segment, T wave, and QRS. Further large-scale studies are needed to show whether these changes are associated with fatal arrhythmias or myocardial infarction.

Mechanisms for the Risk of Acute Coronary Syndrome and Arrhythmia Associated With Phytogenic and Synthetic Cannabinoid Use

Phytogenic cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa and synthetic cannabinoids are commonly used substances for their recreational and medicinal properties. There are increasing reports of cardiotoxicity in close temporal association with cannabinoid use in patients with structurally normal hearts and absence of coronary arterial disease. Associated adverse events include myocardial ischemia, conduction abnormalities, arrhythmias, and sudden death. This review details the effects of phytogenic and synthetic cannabinoids on diverse receptors based on evidence from in vitro, human, and animal studies to establish a molecular basis for these deleterious clinical effects. The synergism between endocannabinoid dysregulation, cannabinoid receptor, and noncannabinoid receptor binding, and impact on cellular ion flux and coronary microvascular circulation is delineated. Pharmacogenetic factors placing certain patients at higher risk for cardiotoxicity are also correlated with the diverse effects of cannabinoids.

Synthetic Cannabinoids and Cardiac Arrhythmia Risk: Review of the Literature

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) are widely used recreational substances especially among adults. Although they have been considered as safe during the marketing process, our knowledge about their adverse effects has evolved since years. SCBs are associated with various cardiac events including acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. There is also growing evidence that SCBs are associated with cardiac arrhythmia development both in acute and chronic exposure. SCBs have been shown to be associated with both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. However, the exact mechanism of the SCB related arrhythmia remains unknown. Understanding the exact association and possible mechanisms may help us to identify high risk patients at an early stage and to develop treatment modalities to prevent or reverse the arrhythmic effects of SCBs.