The Mortality Rate of Myocardial Infraction Patients With and Without Opium Dependen

Abstract

Background:Myocardial infarction (MI) is a heart condition caused by the suspension of blood circulation in a part of the myocardium. There are different risk factors contributing to a heart attack. Some believe that endorphins and endogenous opioids play an important role in causing MIs.Objectives:This study intended to determine the relationship between opium dependency and mortality rate among patients with MI.Patients and Methods:This retrospective study investigated patients who had MI for the first time and were hospitalized in the coronary care unit (CCU) of Khatamolanbia hospital in Zahedan, Iran, from 2007 to 2010. These patients were either opium dependent or not. Four hundred patients were selected. The patients’ possibilities of death and re-hospitalization after the first MI were confirmed over the phone. Data was analyzed through t-test and chi-squared test.Results:Of all the patients, 19.5% were opium-dependent. The mortality rate in the non-opium-dependent group was 5.9%, while in the dependent group this rate was 11.5% (P = 0.072). The number of re-hospitalizations due to heart problems was higher in the opium-dependent patients (P < 0.001).Conclusions:There was no meaningful relationship between the mortality rate of patients with MI who were either opium-dependent or non-opium-dependent. The number of re-hospitalizations due to heart problems was meaningfully higher in the opium-dependent patients; hence, educating people and training them on the destructive effects of opium, specifically in patients with heart conditions is highly recommended.

Opium and cardiovascular health: A devil or an angel?

“…Research has demonstrated that opium use is not correlated with increased rates of post–MI mortality, morbidity, and readmission. 6 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 35 Nevertheless, a few investigators have reported remarkably longer hospital lengths of stay, 35 higher readmission rates, 36 and borderline significantly higher in-hospital mortality rates (11.5% vs. 5.9%; p = 0.072) 36 in opium-dependent patients with acute MI rather than non-opium users ( Table 2 ).…”

“…It has been shown in all previous studies that opium abusers smoke cigarettes more frequently. 10 , 36 , 48 Thus, it is not clear whether the association between opium consumption and CVDs is a dependent association confounded by smoking or opium consumption is an independent risk factor for CVDs. Numerous studies have tried to answer this question.…”

The effects of opium on the cardiovascular system: a review of side effects, uses, and potential mechanisms

“…Harati et al evaluated the relationship between opium use, mortality rate and cardiac arrest in 400 MI patients. They concluded there was no significant difference between addicted and non-addicted groups regarding the study outcomes, although opium users were more commonly hospitalized due to cardiac problems [56].…”

Does Opium Consumption Have Shared Impact on Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer?

“…Opium dependency decreased age by 3.6 years (95% CI = 1.2 to 6.0; P = 0.003) for the occurrence of post-MI mortality and morbidity independent of cigarette smoking. 33 Harati et al 34 observed that those with opium dependency had almost significantly higher in-hospital mortality (11.5% vs 5.9%; P = 0.072) and significantly higher rehospitalization rates than nonusers (38.5% vs 13.7%; P < 0.001). Currently, many physicians do not advise their patients to quit opium consumption because of the fear of inducing a heart attack.…”