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Opioid Epidemic Caused a Rise in Infection-Related Stroke
The US opioid epidemic is associated with a significant increase in the number of infection-related stroke hospitalizations that has been seen in the past decade, according to results of a new study.1
The study, authored by Setareh Salehi Omran, MD, and colleagues, was presented at the American Heart Association’s International Stroke Conference on Wednesday, February 6.
To reach this conclusion, Omran and colleagues identified hospitalizations with the combination of opioid misuse, infective endocarditis, and stroke (defined as ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or subarachnoid hemorrhage) through releases of the National Inpatient Sample from 1993 to 2015.
During the time period, 5283 hospitalizations for stroke were associated with infective endocarditis and opioid use.
From 1993 to 2015, the rate of these hospitalizations increased from 2.4 per 10 million US residents to 18.8 per 10 million US residents. However, there was no significant annual percentage increase between 1993 and 2008 (1.9%); it was from 2008 to 2015 that showed a significant increase in the hospitalization of stroke associated with infective endocarditis and opioid use (20.3%).
The increase was most apparent among non-Hispanic whites in the Northeastern and Southern United States.
And while stroke hospitalizations increased across ages and genders, the greatest increases occurred in women and those younger than aged 45 years over the past decade.
“The rise in hospitalizations for infective endocarditis-related stroke associated with opioids parallels the rise in heroin overdose-related complications and deaths, which tripled between 2010 and 2015,” said Omran.
“I believe efforts to minimize prescription opioid [misuse] are important in addressing this public health problem, since the highly addictive nature of opioids can lead some people to turn to cheaper alternatives, such as injectable opioids like heroin.”2
—Colleen Murphy
References:
1. Omran SS, Chatterjee A, Chen ML, Lerario MP, Merkler AE, Kamel H. National trends in hospitalizations for stroke associated with infective endocarditis and opioid use between 1993 and 2015. Paper presented at: International Stroke Conference; February 6-8, 2019; Honolulu, HI. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.024436. Accessed February 5, 2019.
2. Opioid epidemic fueling a rise in infection-related stroke [press release]. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association; January 30, 2019. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/opioid-epidemic-fueling-a-rise-in-infection-related-stroke?preview=5fd5. Accessed February 5, 2019.
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