Effects of Cannabis on Cardiovascular System: The Good, the Bad, and the Many Unknowns.

Cannabis is currently the most consumed illicit substance in the world, and gradual legalization in the USA makes it important to understand the health consequences of the use of this substance. With growing body of evidence that some cannabis ingredients may be beneficial in various aspects of hemostasis, additional research is clearly needed in various clinical areas. In addition to understanding the efficacy, research efforts should also include studies that address any harmful effects of the compounds or administration methods that may result in adverse effects.

Thrombogenic and Inflammatory Reactions to Biomaterials in Medical Devices.

Blood-contacting medical devices of different biomaterials are often used to treat various cardiovascular diseases. Thrombus formation is a common cause of failure of cardiovascular devices. Currently, there are no clinically available biomaterials that can totally inhibit thrombosis under the more challenging environments (e.

Injection-Less Conductance Method for Vascular Sizing.

Lumen vessel sizing is important for optimization of interventional outcomes for treatment of vascular disease. The objective of this study is to develop an injection-less method to determine the lumen diameter, using multiple frequencies that eliminates the need for saline injections. We utilize the same electrical conductance devices developed for the two-injection method.