Heart Health & Substance Abuse: Everything You Should Know

Many drugs (even legal drugs like caffeine) harm the heart. But does drug addiction do enough damage to cause heart disease? Is there a direct link between drugs and heart health? 

The answer is: it depends. Drug use can cause a range of complications from abnormal heart rate to complete heart failure. Drug use and addiction cause 15 percent of all heart-related hospitalizations, and the consequences can be serious, even deadly. 

According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services, that number is expected to rise.  Research shows the risks of heart attack increase with age, and drug use is growing among at-risk adults. Depending on the type of drug, complications of health risks vary. Understanding those risks can prevent dangerous outcomes. 

Cocaine: The Heart Attack Drug 

All forms of cocaine, including snorted powder and solid crack cocaine, increase risk of heart attack. These risks are amplified with regular use and include symptoms such as: 

• Increased blood pressure 
• Hardening of the aorta, the largest artery in the body
• Thickening of the walls of the heart 
• Increased heart rate and/or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)  

Each of these symptoms individual will boost one’s risk of experiencing a heart attack. Couple these risks with cocaine’s other side effects like inhibited decision-making and the user may put themselves in dangerous situations while high. Taxing the user’s elevated  heart rate puts immense strain on the heart, potentially leading to a damaged cardiovascular system. And thus creating the “perfect” environment for a heart attack. 

Heart attacks aren’t the only health risks to be concerned about. Cocaine, in its various forms, has been estimated to be the singular cause of about 40 percent of all drug-related emergency room visits.

Opium and Ischemic Stroke

Opium doesn’t affect the heart directly, but it can cause other serious problems in the body leading to irreparable damage.

Opium is known to increase clotting in the blood.  In normal situations, the clotting of the blood is meant to aid in the treatment of injuries, however, abnormal clotting or an actual clot can lead to an ischemic stroke. 

Ischemic, meaning a restriction in blood flow and oxygen to a part of the body, strokes are the most common type of stroke. Genetic factors and lifestyle choices that increase hypertension (such as lack of exercise) also increase the odds of stroke. If an opium user’s heart is in poor health or has a family history of stroke, using opium poses a significantly higher risk to the user than it would otherwise.

Cigarettes and the Heart  

Cigarettes and tobacco use are all-around horrible for your health. While the adverse effects are well-known, and education on lung damage has proven effective in lowering smoking rates, many people don’t know that cigarettes also cause heart damage.

Regular cigarette use causes blood vessels to thicken and narrow, increasing blood pressure. More elevated blood pressure then increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. These complications also increase plaque and fat buildup in the arteries and blood vessels, worsening an already-increased heart attack risk. 

These side effects are detrimental to one’s health and cause long-term lung damage, resulting in a higher risk of heart problems for smokers—even after quitting.

Alcohol Abuse 

Most people know alcohol is harmful to the liver but not the heart. Like cigarettes, the damage spreads throughout the entire body. Alcohol abuse and binges can cause heart palpitations or cause the heart to struggle to pump blood, better known as congestive heart failure. 

Congestive heart failure causes the heart to lose the ability to circulate blood throughout the body. Fluid then starts to gather in the lungs and legs, causing shortness of breath, pain, swelling, weight gain, and other complications. These symptoms come and go or can worsen, but quitting drinking helps treat them. 

Injection Opioids

Opium, as discussed above, is one member of the opioid family. Other drugs include fentanyl and heroin. While many users smoke opiates, others inject it and add other derivatives, like heroin, directly into the bloodstream. 

While ingestion processes vary, injection is often the preferred method for users. Injecting the substance is the second fastest mode to the brain and removes any chance for the immune system to absorb the drug, which means users get the most out of the doses.

It is well-documented how unsanitary and dangerous sharing and reusing needles is. However, despite the risks, it is still a common practice for users. When the injection punctures the skin, it bypasses the immune system’s first level of defense. Any pathogens on the needle or within the substance move directly into the bloodstream unimpeded. 

While the blood has an immune system response independent of the skin, the sudden and powerful invasion can overwhelm those defenses. Germs and bacteria quickly multiply as they move through the blood; in time, they can reach the heart and cause a dangerous infection.

Endocarditis, an infection of the heart, is deadly if left untreated. Because the heart is a precision instrument that sits behind many of the body’s natural defenses, illnesses that would typically not cause trouble elsewhere can do incredible damage. 

In some cases, patients discover their symptoms too late, and antibiotics don’t work on the infection. Invasive surgery is then required to remove and replace the infected valves and save a life. 

Shared or previously used needles are especially dangerous if the previous user(s) have HIV or another virus or infection. HIV transmits through blood; an injection into veins gives the virus an express ticket to the host, causing a life-altering or incurable disease. 

General Damage 

Long-term drug use can alter hormone levels, which control and regulate organs, including the heart. It is important to note that abstinence and recovery may fail to restore hormones to normal levels, permanently damaging the SUD’s heart health. 

In addition to psychological support and therapy, recovering drug users must monitor their cardiovascular health. With regular exercise and a healthy diet, patients can work on rebuilding their heart health. Ultimately, a healthy body means patients can better enjoy the positive impact of sobriety on their lives. 

Boost Your Heart Health with SoberMind Recovery 

No matter the prognosis, every step to rebuilding health and recovery matters.  

We’re not a cardiovascular clinic but we provide free online support to help you find the needed resources. If you’re concerned about your heart health or any other consequences of a substance use disorder, please reach out to learn more about our free drug rehab placement.

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