Effects of marijuana on the task-elicited physiological response.
Ten healthy male marijuana users smoked either a placebo or active (1.8% delta 9-THC) marijuana cigarette during five daily testing sessions. Ten minutes after drug administration, six subjects (Group I) performed a 10-min serial acquisition task and four subjects (Group II) rested quietly. Blood pressure was sampled at 2-min intervals and heart rate (HR) was recorded continuously. Marijuana alone increased HR by 18 beats/min and mean arterial pressure (MAP) by 3 mmHg, while task performance alone increased HR by 4 beats/min and MAP by 5 mmHg. The combination of drug and task performance had greater cardiovascular effects than either task performance or marijuana alone, with HR increased by 29 beats/min and MAP increased by 15 mmHg. These results suggest that marijuana smoking may increase cardiovascular responsivity.
Capriotti
R M
RM
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Foltin
R W
RW
Brady
J V
JV
Fischman
M W
MW
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012146:Rest; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000502:physiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis / Q000502:physiology
D013759:Dronabinol