DALLAS, Jan. 30, 2019 -- The opioid epidemic is fueling a steep rise in infection-related stroke hospitalizations, according to preliminary research to be presented in Honolulu at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2019, a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease.
This study will also be simultaneously published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke .
"Our findings add to the urgency of addressing the underlying opioid epidemic in the United States and suggest that people need to be more aware that stroke can be a devastating complication of injecting opioids," said Setareh Salehi Omran, M.D., lead author of the study and a fellow in vascular neurology at the Weill Cornell Medical Center and Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
Injecting opioids, such as heroin, can introduce bacteria into the body which travel through the bloodstream to infect and inflame heart valves, a condition called infective endocarditis.
"The incidence of opioid-related infective endocarditis has been increasing over the past 20 years, particularly among younger patients," Omran said.
Infective endocarditis can lead to stroke if clumps of the infected tissue break off and travel to the brain's blood vessels and block them. This is the first study to examine trends in the incidence of stroke as a complication of opioid-related heart infection.
Using a national hospital inpatient database, researchers identified U. S. residents who were hospitalized 1993 through 2015 with the combination of opioid abuse, infective endocarditis and any type of stroke. They found:
"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. I believe efforts to minimize prescription opioid abuse 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," Omran said.
The study relied on an administrative database, which carries the possibility that diseases may be misclassified and that a person hospitalized more than once each year for the same condition may be counted twice.
###
Co-authors are Abhinaba Chatterjee, B.S.; Monica L. Chen, B.A.; Michael P. Lerario, M.D.; Alexander E. Merkler, M.D.; and Hooman Kamel, M.D.
Note: Scientific presentation is 7 a.m. HT/12 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019.
Additional Resources:
* Downloadable multimedia related to this news release are on the right column of the release link https://newsroom.heart.org/news/opioid-epidemic-fueling-a-ri se-in-infection-related-stroke?preview=11ffa3532fca655e5f438a25e3661896
se-in-infection-related-stroke?preview=11ffa3532fca655e5f438a25e3661896
* For more news from AHA International Stroke Conference 2019, follow us on Twitter @HeartNews #ISC19.
Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/aha-financial-information .
About the American Stroke Association
The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke -- the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit StrokeAssociation.org . Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.