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Cannabis Inhalation: Effects on Cardiovascular Function During Rest and Exercise

The Influence of Cannabis Inhalation During Exercise on Cardiovascular Health and Function: Exploring the Optimal Balance of Cannabinoids and Mode of Administration to Decrease Risk and Maximize Benefits

Status
Completed
Phases
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04693884
Enrollment
22
Registered
2021-01-05
Start date
2021-09-01
Completion date
2025-04-16
Last updated
2025-04-18

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cannabis, Cardiovascular Risk Factor

Brief summary

This two-phase project seeks to examine the cardiovascular response to consumption of cannabis variants of different cannabinoid composition through different methods (smoking vs. vaporizing), at rest and during aerobic exercise. Multiple measures that have been shown to predict risk factors for chronic-disease and negative health outcomes will be assessed following cannabis consumption at rest or in combination with exercise. These techniques will examine arterial stiffness, vascular function, and cardiac function. In phase I and II, subjects will visit the lab on 6 different occasions; with 1 visit acting as an introductory visit, 1 as an exercise control visit, 2 as resting cannabis visits, and 2 as cannabis + exercise visits. Cannabis used in phase I of this study will consist of approximately 10% THC. On all visits, pulse wave velocity, flow mediated dilation, and echocardiography measures will be performed following cannabis consumption by smoking or vaporizing, and cannabis consumption by smoking or vaporizing followed by 20 minutes of exercise on a cycle ergometer. Phase II of the study will implore a similar design. In favor of altering method of consumption, in all visits cannabis will be consumed by vaporization and will be either a high cannabidiol (CBD: (\ 10%)) and low delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC: (\<1%)), or a high THC (\ 10%) and low CBD (\<1%) variant.

Interventions

DRUGCannabis

Cannabis of (\ 10% THC concentration \<1% CBD concentration) will be smoked.

Sponsors

Jamie Burr
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form 2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study 3. Male or female, aged 19-45yr 4. In good general health as evidenced by medical history and free of chronic disease 5. Must be experienced with cannabis use. This requires recreational cannabis use of a minimum of once per week in the past 30 days as confirmed by urine test 6. Experience consuming cannabis recreationally by vaping dried cannabis

Exclusion criteria

1. Deemed unfit to exercise by the PARQ+. 2. Current or past diagnoses of substance abuse disorder 3. Failure of recreational substance urine screening test 4. Current, past, or strong family history of psychosis, or has previously experienced a cannabis-related psychotic episode 5. Current or past diagnoses of cannabis use disorder 6. Current or past diagnoses of any mood or anxiety disorder 7. Identified ECG abnormalities 8. Systolic blood pressure exceeding 160mmHg 9. Diastolic blood pressure exceeding 90mmHg 10. Resting heart rate exceeding 100bpm, or lower than 40bpm 11. Diagnosed with respiratory disease 12. Diagnosed with cardiovascular disease 13. Diagnosed with liver disease 14. Diagnosed with kidney disease 15. Is Pregnant or planning to be pregnant 16. Currently taking prescription medication (excluding contraceptive medication) 17. Is a cigarette smoker

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Brachial Artery Vascular Function From Baseline Following Cannabis ConsumptionBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Assessed via brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD)
Change in Sympathetic Nervous System Activity From Baseline Following Cannabis ConsumptionBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Assessed via microneurographic recordings of the peroneal nerve
Change in Cardiac Function From Baseline Following Cannabis ConsumptionBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Measured by echocardiography
Change in Aortic Stiffness From Baseline Following Cannabis ConsumptionBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Assessed via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Perceived ExertionBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Measured during exercise
Exercise CapacityBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Assessed by maximal average power attainable during 20 minutes of continuous cycling exercise
Oxygen ConsumptionBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Measure of metabolic activity
Heart RateBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Measured at rest and during exercise
Systolic Blood PressureBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Measured at rest and during exercise
Diastolic Blood PressureBaseline, Post-Intervention (<2 Hours)Measured at rest and during exercise

Countries

Canada

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 5, 2026