High Prevalence of Recreational Drug Use Found in Cardiac Intensive Care Patients

A multicentre French study found that recreational drug use was detected in more than 1 in 10 patients admitted to cardiac intensive care. Drug use was associated with significantly poorer outcomes, with users being nearly 9 times more likely to die or require emergency intervention. Cannabis was the most frequently detected substance, followed by opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, and MDMA/ecstasy. The study suggests the potential value of urine screening for selected patients with acute cardiovascular events to improve risk stratification in cardiac intensive care. However, larger studies are needed to establish a causal relationship and determine the best interventions following positive drug test results.