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Does Marijuana Interact With Rosuvastatin And Gemfibrozil?

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Posted on Tue, 3 Jan 2017
Question: I take Gemfibrozil and Rosuvastatin. Can eating marijuana edibles cause me problems?
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (23 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
not really.

Detailed Answer:
Here's the worst case scenario:
marijuana edibles might increase calorie intake and produce worse obesity. This is a risk for diabetes and heart disease. THis would be a concern for anyone on gemfibrozil and rosuvastain.
Also, marijuana has a slight effect at increasing heart rate and blood pressure.

"Temporal associations between marijuana use and serious adverse events, including myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, cardiomyopathy, stroke, transient ischemic attack, and cannabis arteritis have been described."
some people have a LOT of allergic reactions to either marijuana or the pesticides that are sometimes on it. MOSTLY, there is an association "someone who used marijuana eventually died....possibly after 70 years of continual use" but statistical association has been not that much. THere are so many reports of heart attack and stroke with marijuana that it seems very likely there is some increased risk of them with marijuana use.

There isn't an association between marijuana and the drugs mentioned or with fat deposits in the liver that is the main complication of using gemfibrozil with rosuvastatin.

So, interaction with the drugs, no. with the conditions the drugs are used to prevent. probably, but not a strong risk factor.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (27 minutes later)
Thank you so much, you have been a big help. I don't know if this counts as related, I don't want to break the rules, but those 2 meds, the cholesterol ones, are they pretty commonly used together? Because in my search for answers about the cannabis thing, I saw a lot of red exclamation points and warnings about using gemfibrozil and rosuvastatin together, and I hope it isn't dangerous, and if there is any risk, I hope it's something my Doctor would have time to catch, and reduce or change my dosage (i.e. my kidneys aren't going to suddenly shut down) before it got serious. Thanks so much, I might switch to the subscription service, you are a lifesaver.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (58 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
always used together.

Detailed Answer:
One works on cholesterol the other on other fats. If you block one, the other is still elevated. If both are blocked, the fat has nowhere to go and builds up in the liver. I'm a former researcher in the field. It became important for basically totally UNrelated liver toxins that did the same thing but by a totally different method.
Fat has to TOTALLY replace the liver before it matters. Merely 50% replacement won't do anything. But, it neither kills liver cells nor blocks outflow from the liver like gallstones do. So, there's no pain, no jaundice, no hepatocellular damage on liver and blood tests.
If you do an ultrasound, you either see the liver horribly wrong (filled with fat) or you're in the 20 to 25% of adults with some fat in the liver (pretty close to meaningless).
Ultrasound or MRI or CT shows liver replaced by fat (well so would biopsy, but really!) Otherwise you cannot tell. If one or both are stopped the liver moves back to the right direction.
It is a rare condition.

There is also statin induced myopathy. It is much more common but far, far, from a silent disease. If you don't feel run over by a truck with muscle aches, you don't have it. Simple tests for any muscle break down confirms it.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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Does Marijuana Interact With Rosuvastatin And Gemfibrozil?

Brief Answer: not really. Detailed Answer: Here's the worst case scenario: marijuana edibles might increase calorie intake and produce worse obesity. This is a risk for diabetes and heart disease. THis would be a concern for anyone on gemfibrozil and rosuvastain. Also, marijuana has a slight effect at increasing heart rate and blood pressure. "Temporal associations between marijuana use and serious adverse events, including myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, cardiomyopathy, stroke, transient ischemic attack, and cannabis arteritis have been described." some people have a LOT of allergic reactions to either marijuana or the pesticides that are sometimes on it. MOSTLY, there is an association "someone who used marijuana eventually died....possibly after 70 years of continual use" but statistical association has been not that much. THere are so many reports of heart attack and stroke with marijuana that it seems very likely there is some increased risk of them with marijuana use. There isn't an association between marijuana and the drugs mentioned or with fat deposits in the liver that is the main complication of using gemfibrozil with rosuvastatin. So, interaction with the drugs, no. with the conditions the drugs are used to prevent. probably, but not a strong risk factor.