reassuring cardiac safety profile of pharmaceutical cannabidiol formulation

Recent research presented at Heart Failure 2025 has demonstrated that a pharmaceutically manufactured cannabidiol (CBD) formulation exhibits a strong safety profile, including no significant cardiac safety concerns. This study evaluated the overall safety, tolerability, and cardiac effects of CBD in patients with increased cardiovascular risk who were hospitalized for non-critical COVID-19. The trial included 89 adult patients, with participants randomized to receive either the CBD formulation, titrated up to 7.5 mg/kg twice daily, or a placebo. Despite early termination of the trial due to patient recruitment challenges, safety outcomes from the enrolled cohort showed minimal adverse effects.

The incidences of serious adverse events and treatment-related adverse effects were comparable between groups, with no deaths reported in the CBD group and two in the placebo group, both due to respiratory failure. Importantly, cardiovascular safety indicators, including ECG measurements and QTc intervals, remained stable in the CBD group, with minimal changes from baseline. Cardiac disorders were reported in 9% of patients in both groups, and only one patient in the CBD group experienced mild QTc prolongation.

Dr. Leslie Cooper from the Mayo Clinic highlighted that CBD was well tolerated overall and noted the low, comparable rates of cardiac side effects. These reassuring findings support ongoing larger trials assessing the efficacy and safety of CBD for cardiovascular inflammation, such as the Phase II ARCHER trial for myocarditis and the Phase III MAVERIC trial for recurrent pericarditis, expected to report results in 2025 and 2026 respectively. The emerging evidence suggests that pharmaceutical CBD offers a promising, safe adjunct in managing inflammatory heart conditions.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-cardiac-safety-pharmaceutically-cannabidiol.html