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Diagnosed With DVT And PE. Will I Get A Stroke Or Heart Attack If I Smoke THC?
Question: I was diagnosed with DVT and PE with an INR of 1.09 on Monday. I have been on lovenox 80mg 2x a day and 5mg of warfarin. The past two nights I have smoked two hits of marijuna. It helps me sleep with all the anxiety from the diagnoses. Am I chancing a stroke, heart attack with my actions of smoking THC?
Brief Answer:
Avoid cannabis. Take care for INR.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
1. It is well known that cannabis (marijuana) increases the heart rate and blood pressure for few hours after it's consumption. Since it basically leads to increase in sympathetic stimulation (the system in body which gets activated on alert/ danger) it may also cause transient narrowing (spasm) of blood vessel supplying the heart. This may lead to anginal pain/ heart attack. Standard literature has reports where fatal coronary thrombosis (clot formation) has been linked to cannabis use. Although there is a debate in medical fraternity about its (marijuana) definite association with heart attack.
2. Since you are suffering from a condition associated with increased thrombogenicity, I would recommend not to take a chance. I would advise you not to smoke marijuana. this may lead to further DVT/ associated complications or cardiac complications.
3. Your INR is as yet not satisfactory for DVT/PE altohugh it usually takes ~5 days of warfarin therapy to achieve target INR. Be in touch with your health care provider on this issue.
Feel free to discuss further.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Avoid cannabis. Take care for INR.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
1. It is well known that cannabis (marijuana) increases the heart rate and blood pressure for few hours after it's consumption. Since it basically leads to increase in sympathetic stimulation (the system in body which gets activated on alert/ danger) it may also cause transient narrowing (spasm) of blood vessel supplying the heart. This may lead to anginal pain/ heart attack. Standard literature has reports where fatal coronary thrombosis (clot formation) has been linked to cannabis use. Although there is a debate in medical fraternity about its (marijuana) definite association with heart attack.
2. Since you are suffering from a condition associated with increased thrombogenicity, I would recommend not to take a chance. I would advise you not to smoke marijuana. this may lead to further DVT/ associated complications or cardiac complications.
3. Your INR is as yet not satisfactory for DVT/PE altohugh it usually takes ~5 days of warfarin therapy to achieve target INR. Be in touch with your health care provider on this issue.
Feel free to discuss further.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Probably an ignorant question but what if i buy a vaporizer for cannabis? So my first 4 days on lovenox and warfarin i have been weak but want to cut out the cannabis- i get my INR evaluated tmw and will probably get beat up by my doctor. Do you recommend anything for anxiety and pain that will not interfere with warfarin? They gave me tramodel for pain but i dont like it. It does not allow me to sleep and gives me headaches. I took 200mg when 100 mg is proper dosage.
My next week will be much better, hard news to accept as im a 31yr old active guy
My next week will be much better, hard news to accept as im a 31yr old active guy
Brief Answer:
please see below
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
Only advantage of vaporizer on smoking will be avoidance of irritating lung toxin. You will be saving your lungs but all other effects will remain intact. Hence not recommended.
Sir , best way to tackle anxiety is to look at things from a broader perspective. Try to do simple relaxation exercise like deep breathing. Do meditation or yoga. For pain relief there are so many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with little side effects like paracetamole, naproxen etc. You can get a prescription locally.
Hope this helps.
please do write if there is anything else.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
please see below
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
Only advantage of vaporizer on smoking will be avoidance of irritating lung toxin. You will be saving your lungs but all other effects will remain intact. Hence not recommended.
Sir , best way to tackle anxiety is to look at things from a broader perspective. Try to do simple relaxation exercise like deep breathing. Do meditation or yoga. For pain relief there are so many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with little side effects like paracetamole, naproxen etc. You can get a prescription locally.
Hope this helps.
please do write if there is anything else.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Can i ask for vicoden? I have also been drinking moderately the past few days after the bad news, two-thre drinks a night. How will this play a role? Ok thats it doc thanks for your timee
Brief Answer:
please see details
Detailed Answer:
Dear sir
Hydrocodone does not increases thrombogenicity but whatever you take has to be checked for interaction with warfarin. Since acetaminophen and alcohol both can increase the effect of warfarin and cause easy bleeding, you should be cautious.
Best is to avoid alcohol as well as acetaminophen for the time being as your physician is in the process of ascertaining exact dose of warfarin for you.
Do not change your diet suddenly and never take a medicine without consulting your doctor till you are on warfarin.
Hope this helps.
Have good health.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
please see details
Detailed Answer:
Dear sir
Hydrocodone does not increases thrombogenicity but whatever you take has to be checked for interaction with warfarin. Since acetaminophen and alcohol both can increase the effect of warfarin and cause easy bleeding, you should be cautious.
Best is to avoid alcohol as well as acetaminophen for the time being as your physician is in the process of ascertaining exact dose of warfarin for you.
Do not change your diet suddenly and never take a medicine without consulting your doctor till you are on warfarin.
Hope this helps.
Have good health.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
please see below.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
The duration of warfarin treatment in pulmonary embolism depends upon the clinical circumstances. If there was a definite provocative factor which was reversible, warfarin has to be given for about 3 months.
In patients where there is no provocation, treatment is given for 3 months and then assessment is made about risk-benefit ratio of warfarin. Patients who do not have high risk for bleeding, long term (at times life long) anticoagulation is preferred.
We do work-up for genetic abnormalities associated with DVT/PE at 3 months. In their presence, treatment is required for longer duration.
This is as per 2012 guidelines issued by American college of chest physicians and is respected all over world.
I understand your frustration, however at individual level you can not do much about it.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
please see below.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
The duration of warfarin treatment in pulmonary embolism depends upon the clinical circumstances. If there was a definite provocative factor which was reversible, warfarin has to be given for about 3 months.
In patients where there is no provocation, treatment is given for 3 months and then assessment is made about risk-benefit ratio of warfarin. Patients who do not have high risk for bleeding, long term (at times life long) anticoagulation is preferred.
We do work-up for genetic abnormalities associated with DVT/PE at 3 months. In their presence, treatment is required for longer duration.
This is as per 2012 guidelines issued by American college of chest physicians and is respected all over world.
I understand your frustration, however at individual level you can not do much about it.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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