PREVALENCE AND EVALUATION OF CARDIAC COMPLICATIONS AMONG PATIENTS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN AL HUSSEIN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Substance abuse refers to excessive use of a drug in a way that is detrimental to self, society, or both. Substance abuse and its health outcomes has become a major public health issue in Egypt in recent years. Objective: To determine the prevalence of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities among substance abusers who have low cardiovascular risk profile and evaluate the relation between these abnormalities and substance abuse. Patients and Methods: This case–control study was conducted at Al-Hussein University Hospital from January 2018 to May 2020. It included 500 males and females cases aged between 18 and 45 years. They were divided into 2 major groups: Group I contained 250 substance abusers with duration of abuse ≥ one year and Group II contained 250 non abusers as controls. All members of both groups had low cardiovascular risk profile. The only major risk factor for heart disease presented in this study was smoking cigarette and its effect was ameliorated by matching with the control group. All cases were subjected to a full history taking, comprehensive clinical examination and laboratory investigations to exclude cases with major risk factors for heart diseases. Cardiac condition was evaluated in all cases using standard 12-lead electrocardiogram and the results were interpreted. Further evaluation using echocardiography examination were done for all patients with abnormal ECG findings in addition to 42 cases selected randomly from control group for statistical purposes, and divided into 2 sub-groups. Sub-group I included 54