High blood pressure is a serious public health issue facing the world today. International researchers estimate that roughly 1.4 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide have high blood pressure (hypertension), representing 33% of the population in this age range.

Hypertension can lead to a variety of health problems, including but not limited to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, aortic aneurysm, kidney damage, glaucoma, dementia, diabetes, obesity, and even death.

A team of investigators based in Brazil and affiliated with various health and academic research institutions recently examined cannabidiol (CBD) use and how it may impact systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure in a person’s arteries when the heart beats and pumps blood throughout the body. It is the ‘upper number’ in a blood pressure result.

“This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effects of cannabidiol on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in humans. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Embase databases up to May 2024 identified four randomized controlled trials comprising 104 participants, three assessing short-term administration and one chronic use in hypertensive individuals.” stated the researchers about their investigation. The researchers published their findings in the journal Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy.

“Meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure after acute cannabidiol intake (SMD –1.06; 95%CI –2.01 to –0.11; p = 0.03), but no significant change in diastolic blood pressure (SMD –1.17; 95%CI –2.55 to 0.20; p = 0.09). Chronic administration promoted reductions of 7.01 mmHg in systolic and 4.55 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure.” the researchers found.

“These findings suggest that cannabidiol may benefit blood pressure control, specifically with prolonged use in hypertensive patients, but further high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to approve its efficacy, safety, and clinical applicability in cardiovascular care.” the researchers concluded.