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Recurrent stroke associated with cannabis use
  1. I Mateo,
  2. A Pinedo,
  3. M Gomez-Beldarrain,
  4. J M Basterretxea,
  5. J C Garcia-Monco
  1. Service of Neurology, Hospital de Galdacano, 48960 Galdacano, Vizcaya, Spain
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr J C Garcia-Monco
 Service of Neurology, Hospital de Galdacano, 48960 Galdacano, Vizcaya, Spain; hospit05sarenet.es

Abstract

Drug misuse represents a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease, especially among young people. Despite the fact that cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug, there are only a few reports associating its use with cerebrovascular disease. We describe a patient who suffered three ischaemic strokes immediately after cannabis consumption. Other stroke aetiologies were ruled out, and neuroimaging revealed infarcts in different arterial areas as well as evidence of non-atherosclerotic arterial disease, which suggests an underlying vasculopathy of uncertain (toxic or inflammatory) origin. Cannabis use may be associated with ischaemic stroke in young patients, but its mechanism is unclear.

  • MCA, middle cerebral artery
  • MRA, magnetic resonance angiography
  • cannabis
  • stroke
  • marijuana
  • hashish

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Footnotes

  • Competing interests: none declared

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