Patient develops serious heart disease from hemp oil

CBD, a supplement sold as a natural alternative to everyday hassles by manufacturers, is not without health risks when used outside of recommendations. A 56-year-old patient paid the price for her overconsumption, putting her heart at risk.

In the collective imagination, herbal supplements are not dangerous to health. However, their misuse is not without consequence, as illustrated the recent case of a patient 56 years old taken care of at the University Hospitals of Geneva. She presented to doctors for dizziness and sudden malaise. Her electrocardiogram (ECG) reveals that she has a life-threatening heart condition: long and tachycardia ventricular with torsades de pointes.

Put simply, his heart rate is too high and his heart’s contractile cells take longer than normal to “recharge” between beats. The patient talks about her consumption ofcbd oil and of berberinea molecule extracted from the plant Berberis aristata, widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Doctors quickly make the connection between his heart problem and these natural products perceived as harmless.

CBD, responsible for heart disease

The patient was taking six times the recommended dose of CBD for 4 months to fight against stress of his professional and personal life. During his stay in the hospital, the doctors stopped this “treatment” and within five days, his ECG was back to normal. Three months later, she reports no longer suffering from vertigo or malaise. Besides its consumption excessive CBD, the patient had no other health problems that could be the cause of her heart problem. The doctors believe that the cause of his condition are the food supplements.

Long QT syndrome and ventricular tachycardia with torsades de pointes can be caused, among other things, by drugs. the THC, for example, has already been identified as a cause of this syndrome but, for CBD, this is the first time. ” More and more people are taking herbal supplements for their potential beneficial effect. However, their character “natural” may be misleading, as these preparations may have serious effects unwanted side effects alone or if combined with other supplements or medications. Their use should not be taken lightly and the recommendations of dosage must always be respected said Elise Bakelants, cardiologist at the University Hospitals of Geneva.

Dietary supplements are not as strictly regulated as health products. If studies on their effectiveness, their toxicity and side effects are carried out before they are marketed, they are not as strict as those required for drugs. It is therefore difficult to anticipate the potential health problems that their use could cause. The “natural” argument put forward by the brands is not synonymous with “without danger. »