Evaluation of The use of Psychoactive Substances Among Patients Admitted to a Cardiology Intensive Care Unit: Prevalence and Prevention

Abstract

Introduction

Addiction to psychoactive substances (PAS) can lead to cardiovascular complications. Cardiotoxicity of drugs is known but it is rarely documented by toxicology.

Objectives

We conducted a prevalence study on PAS use among patients with cardiac symptoms, with an analysis of diagnosis and a description of PAS user's characteristics.

Aims

To improve the therapeutic management in addictology for cardiac patients.

Methods

Prospective observational study performed during 3 months. Patients admitted in cardiology had to complete a hetero-questionnaire about his PAS consumption and a qualitative toxicological research in urine and/or blood (immunochemical/GC–MS detection).

Results

One hundred and sixty-one patients were included: 86% men, aged 24–68 years (Table 1). Results show a high level of PAS use in our population: 8.7%. A significant PAS use is observed among patients aged 40–70 years, with a prevalence of 22% for the 40–49, 15% for the 50–59 and 7% for the 60–69. PAS detected were mainly cannabis and cocaine. Clinical diagnoses of patients positive to PAS were acute coronary syndromes and severe cardiac arrhythmias.

Conclusions

In patients admitted in cardiology, toxicological screening is rarely done. Our study shows a significant PAS use among patients aged 40–70 years. According to data of the French Health Barometer, there is regular use of cannabis and cocaine at respectively 3% and 1.1% among people aged 18–64. These results invite us to achieve a more systematic identification of PAS use among patients with cardiovascular disorders and to optimize the therapeutic management by a systematic orientation in addictology.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Table 1 Patients characteristics.