Drug use associated heart infections decline as stimulant use grows

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz analyzed national hospitalization data from 2016 to 2022 to track trends in infective endocarditis, a life-threatening heart infection.

The study found that hospitalizations for these infections, which often occur when people inject drugs into their bloodstream, fell by 18 percent between 2020 and 2022. The authors suggest that expanded access to harm reduction services and addiction treatments may have contributed to the drop in opioid-related cases.

They also noted that a shift in behavior from injecting drugs to smoking them might reduce the risk of bacteria entering the bloodstream. While opioid-related cases are decreasing, the study found that stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine are making up a larger portion of heart infections. This trend is particularly visible in the Pacific region of the United States.

Paul Christine, the study's first author, noted that the healthcare system currently has fewer tools and medications to treat stimulant use disorder compared to opioid use disorder. The research team plans to investigate better hospital-based interventions for patients who use stimulants and look for similar trends in other drug-related infections involving skin, bone, and soft tissue.