Alcohol accounts for 65% of CVD deaths, followed by opioids, cocaine and other illicit drugs, says a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Research highlights:
- Despite a decline in overall cardiovascular disease deaths from 1999 to 2019, cardiovascular disease deaths where substance use was a contributing factor increased by an average of 4% per year, with a mortality rate of 6.2% from 2012 to 2019. accelerated to %.
- Significant increases in cardiovascular deaths related to drug use were most pronounced among women, American Indians or Alaskans, younger adults, residents of rural areas, and users of cannabis and psychostimulants.
- Identification of high-risk populations is important for prioritizing preventive measures to reduce substance use associated with cardiovascular disease mortality, especially in high-risk populations.
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DALLAS, January 10, 2024 — Despite a decline in overall cardiovascular disease deaths, drug use-related cardiovascular disease deaths increased by an average of 4% per year from 1999 to 2019, it was reported today. This was revealed in a new study published in the newspaper. American Heart Association Journalan open-access peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.
“The findings were generally consistent with what we see in the clinic while caring for patients with cardiovascular disease,” said the study’s lead author, a cardiologist and professor at the Loma Linda University School of Health School of Medicine in Loma Linda, Calif. said Associate Professor Dmitry Abramov, MD.
“Alcohol and opioids were the substances most associated with cardiovascular deaths, but the increase in cardiovascular deaths associated with stimulants (primarily amphetamines) during the study period was particularly significant,” he continued. “This highlights the continuing risks of common substances, including alcohol and opioids, and the need to address amphetamines as a rapidly increasing contributor to CVD deaths.”
Researchers reviewed publicly available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Widespread Online Data for Epidemiological Research (WONDER) database to examine trends in substance use-related deaths between 1999 and 2019. Did. The WONDER database aggregates death certificate data from across the United States. National Vital Statistics System.
The analysis revealed the following:
- The overall rate of cardiovascular deaths related to substance use increased from 9.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 1999 to 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019, representing an average annual increase of 4%. To do.
- Increased mean annual change associated with substance use was observed in all subgroups and was more pronounced in women (4.8%). American Indian or Alaskan individuals (5.4%); young adults aged 25 to 59 (5.3%); People living in rural areas (5%). Those who used cannabis (12.7%) and psychostimulants (16.8%).
- Sixty-five percent of cardiovascular disease deaths were alcohol-related, followed by opioids (13.7%), cocaine (9.8%), stimulants (6.5%), sedatives (4.1%), and cannabis (0.5%).
- The rate of change was highest among adults aged 25 to 39 years (5.3%), followed by adults aged 55 to 69 years (4.9%).
- The age-adjusted mortality rate was 15.2 per 100,000 for adults living in non-metropolitan/rural areas and 22.5 per 100,000 for men. Among American Indian or Alaska Native adults, the rate was 37.7 per 100,000.
“Significantly more people aged 25 to 39 compared to other age groups and compared to people from certain racial and ethnic groups, including White adults and American Indian/Alaska Native adults, We were surprised to see such an increase. Identifying high-risk groups is critical to prioritizing preventive measures to reduce cardiovascular disease deaths related to substance use,” Abramoff said. said.
Research background and details:
- Data from the CDC WONDER database from 199 to 2019 includes 636,572 substance use-related cardiovascular deaths. Of these, 75.6% were male and 70.6% were non-Hispanic white.
- Smoking/tobacco use was not included as a form of substance use in this study.
- The researchers noted that the increased drug use seen in rural areas is related to differences in socio-economic vulnerability, access to health care, and substance abuse treatment and requires further evaluation.
This study has limitations, as the cause of death listed on the death certificate may have some erroneous coding errors, and cardiovascular disease deaths are the original data source, which may affect the data analysis. It included the possibility of giving. Additionally, the authors did not have information on initial measurements of cardiovascular disease risk factors, family history of cardiovascular disease, or other health conditions (such as diagnosis of hypertension or type 2 diabetes). This is because this information is not included in this document. Wonder database.
“We look forward to further public health efforts to support comprehensive assessment and management of drug use in the United States, including clinician and patient education and consideration of the socioeconomic factors that contribute to drug use,” Abramoff said. ” he said. “Efforts like this are critical to reversing trends in cardiovascular disease mortality associated with drug use and will likely lead to further reductions in the overall burden of heart disease and stroke.”
Co-authors, disclosure information, and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.
The study, published in the scientific journal of the American Heart Association, is peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely the opinions of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the Society. The Association makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or reliability. The association is primarily funded by individuals. Foundations and corporations (including pharmaceuticals, device manufacturers, and other companies) also make contributions, which help fund specific programs and events for the association. The Society has strict policies in place to ensure that these relationships do not influence scientific content. Revenues from pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, device manufacturers, health insurance companies, and overall financial information for the association can be found here.
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