Study reports a prominent increase in substance use and cardiovascular disease‐related mortality in the United States between 1999 and 2019

In a recent study published in Journal of the American Heart Association , a group of researchers evaluated trends in substance use(SU) and cardiovascular disease(CVD)-related mortality in the United States (U.S.) using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Study: Temporal Trends in Substance Use and Cardiovascular Disease–Related Mortality in the United States . Image Credit: Theerani lerdsri/Shutterstock.com Background In the U.S. from 1999 to 2019, SU and CVD related mortality have significantly increased. This rise shows notable variations among different groups. Particularly, women, younger people, non-Hispanic (NH) American Indian or Alaska Native individuals, residents of nonmetropolitan areas, and users of cannabis and psychostimulants experienced sharper increases in SU and CVD mortality. Clinically, this highlights the importance of identifying and targeting high-risk groups with preventive strategies to mitigate SU and CVD mortality. Further research is essential to understand the underlying causes of the increasing trends in SU and CVD-related mortality and to develop targeted interventions for the most affected groups. About the study In this study, the researchers utilized the CDC Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database to extract relevant data. The database provided access to Multiple Cause-of-Death Public Use record death certificates, which were the primary source for identifying deaths where both SU and CVD were mentioned as contributing or underlying causes. For the identification of patients, the researchers employed the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes. These codes were utilized to categorize patients into those with SU and those with CVD. Patients with SU were identified using specific ICD-10-CM codes listed in supplementary files, while those with CVD were identified using ICD-10-CM codes I00-I99, which represent diseases of the circulatory system. The study focused on patients aged 25 years and older. One notable aspect of the methodology was the exclusion […]

Click here to visit source. Study reports a prominent increase in substance use and cardiovascular disease‐related mortality in the United States between 1999 and 2019