With increasing legalization, marijuana has become the most commonly abused substance in the United States. Together with the introduction of more potent marijuana products over the years, more adverse events are being reported and clinically characterized. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active psychotropic component of marijuana, which acts mainly on G-protein cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. Multiple isolated cases of arrhythmias associated with marijuana use have been published. In this manuscript we conduct a scoping study of a total of 27 cases of arrhythmia associated with marijuana. Most cases were reported in young males (81%) with a mean age of 28 ± 10.6 years. Atrial fibrillation (26%) and ventricular fibrillation (22%) were the most common arrhythmias reported. Brugada pattern was reported in 19% of the patients. Marijuana associated arrhythmia resulted in a high mortality rate of 11 %. While the exact mechanisms of arrhythmias associated with marijuana are not clear, several hypothesis have been introduced including the effect of marijuana on cardiac ion channels as well as its effects on the central nervous system. In this paper we discuss the possible mechanisms of marijuana induced arrhythmia citing the evidence available to-date.

BackgroundSelf-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is a critical component of diabetes care. However, it has been shown that use of glucometers in developing countries such as Pakistan is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of glucometer usage in the urban diabetic population of Karachi and to identify variables that influenced the likelihood of practice of SMBG.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 567 adult diabetic patients selected at random from the out-patient departments of multiple healthcare institutions in Karachi categorized into two settings; Government and Private. Non-diabetics, patients having gestational diabetes, diabetes insipidus and Cushing’s syndrome and terminally ill patients were excluded. Pearson Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test were applied as the primary statistical method.ResultsPrevalence of home glucometer usage was 59% (n= 331). High socioeconomic status (p < 0.001), receiving care from private institutions (p < 0.001), higher education (p < 0.001), a family history of diabetes (p =0.001), awareness regarding diabetes (p < 0.001), having diabetes for > five years (p <0.001), and managing diabetes via pharmacological interventions (p <0.001) (versus diet and exercise) were significant positive predictors of glucometer usage. ConclusionsOur study demonstrates the increasing trend in use of SMBG. Lack of awareness and cost of glucometers were reported to be the main reasons for not practicing SMBG. Given these factors are easily modifiable, government subsidized initiatives and awareness programs can result in a successful public health strategy to promote SMBG.

Ever since evidence about the increased risk of stent thrombosis with drug eluting stents (DES) surfaced in 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended the use of dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin with P2Y12 inhibitor) following DES placement. The PLATO trial demonstrated lower mortality rates with the use of Ticagrelor when compared to clopidogrel (9.8% vs. 11.7%, p<0.001) when treating patients with acute coronary syndrome. Given their pleiotropic benefits, statins are today the second most prescribed drug in the United States and often co-prescribed with Ticagrelor. FDA's post market surveillance of Ticagrelor use along with statins in post-myocardial infarction care is now revealing novel and serious adverse events. We present two cases of rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure (ARF) which develop while the patients were on statins and Ticagrelor. Case 1: A 66-year-old female presented with bilateral thigh pain for 3 days. One month prior to presentation, she was managed for non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and had been started on aspirin, ticagrelor and simvastatin. Laboratory values revealed creatinine kinase (CK) level at 40,000 U/L and creatinine 3.2 mg/dL suggesting rhabdomyolysis and ARF. Case 2: A 63-year-old male presented with generalized body aches and fatigue for 4 days. He had sustained STEMI two months before and received two drug eluting stents (DES) and aspirin, ticagrelor and rosuvastatin had been initiated. CK was 380,000 U/L and creatinine 7.94 mg/dL suggesting rhabdomyolysis and ARF. Both patients presented with rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure within weeks after ticagrelor and statin were commenced. A review of the literature indicated that 11 similar cases of ticagrelor-induced ARF and rhabdomyolysis had been reported. Ticagrelor competes with statins when metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 leading to statin retention, leading to major adverse effects like rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure. Our review is intended to alert clinicians about this important drug interaction.