The trend is clear. Marijuana, either for medicinal or recreational purposes, is winning in state elections throughout the country. Maybe because it has been illegal in the past, there has not been a lot of research into the health impact of marijuana use. With legality and a likely increased in use, that may change.

An example is a recent study that found that young men who regularly use marijuana have two times the risk of stress cardiomyopathy compared to non-users. The study, reported in the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, further found that, among individuals with stress cardiomyopathy, marijuana users were significantly more likely to have cardiac arrest and require an implanted defibrillator.

Stress cardiomyopathy can be caused by extreme emotional stressors, such as grief, surprise, and anger. It has been called the “broken heart syndrome” because it can occur when a loved one dies. The symptoms of the condition can mimic those of a heart attack: chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and palpitations. Unlike a heart attack, however, stress cardiomyopathy does not kill any heart cells and does not necessarily result in permanent damage.

The researchers emphasized the limitations of the study, which was retrospective in nature. Dr. Sahil Agrawal, chief cardiology fellow at St. Luke’s University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, said that “this development of stress cardiomyopathy in younger patients who used marijuana suggests a possible link that needs to be further investigated.”