Illicit Drugs Associated with Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Individuals: A Comprehensive Study

INTRODUCTION:-
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a horrible occurrence, especially when it affects young people. According to recent studies, SCD cases in this population may be significantly influenced by illicit drug usage. The incidence of illegal drug usage among young patients who died suddenly is examined in this article along with risk variables and potential drawbacks. The study's conclusions are also presented.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:-
Data from the "End Unexplained Cardiac Death" (End UCD) registry, a prospective surveillance registry covering out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in Victoria, Australia, were used in the study. The analysis included 523 patients over the age of 18 who passed away from OHCA over a two-year period from April 2019 to April 2021.
Cocaine and its byproducts, heroin and its byproducts, compounds that resemble amphetamines, cannabis, and novel psychoactive chemicals all fell under the category of illicit drugs. The causes of SCD were divided into four categories by researchers: "coronary," "cardiomyopathy," "unascertained," and "other," which included aortic dissection, pulmonary hypertension, myocarditis, and valvular disease.

FINDINGS:-
Out of the 523 eligible individuals, 476 (91.0%) had autopsies performed; of them, 170 (32.5%) were found to have used illicit drugs, and 14.7% had used several drugs. Notably, the frequency of illegal drug use was 50% higher in young SCD patients than was previously predicted, suggesting that either drug use is underreported or that drugs play a larger role in SCD than was previously thought.
Exercise-related deaths were very uncommon (6.7%), while SCD incidents most frequently occurred while doing nothing (47.5%) or while sleeping (45.8%).When compared to non-users of illicit drugs, users were more likely to be men, smokers, frequent drinkers of alcohol, had a lower body mass index, and have a history of psychiatric illness.Causes of SCD did not significantly differ between groups, with coronary disease being the most common cause (43.5%), followed by unascertained causes (30.0%), cardiomyopathy (24.7%), and other cardiac causes (1.8%).

DISCUSSION:-
The results of this study shed a strong light on the concerning connection between illicit drug use and sudden cardiac death in young people. The fact that many of these patients had a history of drug use highlights the urgent need for greater awareness and targeted interventions to tackle this issue effectively.It's important to acknowledge that there were some limitations to the study. The researchers lacked data on the duration and amount of drug exposure, which could have provided more comprehensive insights into the cardiac risks associated with drug use. Moreover, not all cases were referred for forensic investigation, potentially leading to an underestimation of drug-related sudden cardiac death cases.

CONCLUSION:-
This study presents compelling evidence of a significant association between illicit drug use and sudden cardiac death among young individuals. The high prevalence of drug use in these cases highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and targeted interventions to address this alarming trend. While the findings are crucial in understanding the link between illicit drugs and cardiovascular abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac death, it's essential to acknowledge the limitations. The lack of data on the exposure period and cumulative drug dose might have impacted a complete understanding of the cardiac risks associated with drug use. Additionally, the potential underrepresentation of drug-related sudden cardiac death cases due to unreported incidents emphasizes the need for comprehensive surveillance and forensic investigation. Moving forward, it is imperative for further research and public health efforts to delve deeper into the precise mechanisms connecting drugs to cardiac issues in young individuals. This knowledge will be instrumental in formulating preventive strategies to reduce the incidence of drug-related sudden cardiac death. Enhanced surveillance and thorough toxicological assessments will be vital components in gaining a comprehensive understanding of this critical public health concern.

Reference:-

{Medscape- https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995013}