Cannabis does not improve breathlessness during exercise in patients with advanced COPD
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In the 1970s, controlled studies reported that smoking cannabis opened the airways of adults with and without asthma.
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More recently, a large observational study found a positive association between cannabis use and forced expiratory volume (the amount of air that can be forcefully exhaled in one second) and forced vital capacity (the total amount of air that can be exhaled after taking a deep breath).
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A current study did not find a clinically meaningful negative or positive effect of vaporized cannabis on breathlessness during exercise or on exercise performance, the researchers noted variability in responsiveness to the cannabis.
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Although the study did not find a clinically meaningful negative or positive effect of vaporized cannabis on breathlessness during exercise or on exercise performance, the researchers noted variability in responsiveness to the cannabis.
Sara J Abdallah, Benjamin M Smith, Mark A Ware, Michelle Moore, Pei Zhi Li, Jean Bourbeau, Dennis Jensen. Effect of Vaporized Cannabis on Exertional Breathlessness and Exercise Endurance in Advanced COPD: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 2018; DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201803-198OC
