A new study shows that recreational drug users are three times more likely to experience repeated heart attacks or strokes compared to those who don’t use drugs.
The study, conducted in 2021, involved nearly 1,400 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) across France.
Over a two-week period, these patients were tested for drugs, with 11% found to have substances such as cannabis, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, or MDMA in their systems.
Even more concerning, over 28% tested positive for two or more of these drugs.
Researchers monitored these patients for a year, focusing on the recurrence of cardiac emergencies or strokes.
The findings were stark: about 6% of non-drug users experienced a follow-up emergency, compared to a staggering 13% of drug users who found themselves back in the emergency room with cardiovascular complications within the same year.
Dr. Raphael Mirailles, a physician at Lariboisière Hospital in Paris and the lead researcher of the study, highlighted the severity of these findings.
“Recreational drug use was associated with a tripling of the risk of a repeat serious cardiovascular event within one year,” Mirailles stated.
Not only were drug users more likely to face heart-related emergencies, but they were also at higher risk for heart-related deaths, non-fatal heart attacks, and strokes.
Among the substances tested, MDMA emerged as the most dangerous, with users being four times more likely to suffer a follow-up episode.
Earlier this summer, the FDA rejected an application to legalize MDMA for the treatment of PTSD, adding to concerns about the risks associated with recreational drug use.
Opioid use raised the risk factor by 3.6 times, while cannabis nearly doubled it.
Interestingly, the study found that cocaine and amphetamines did not have a statistically significant relationship with serious cardiovascular events, though the researchers acknowledged the need for further examination due to the limited timeframe of the study.
This study adds to growing concerns about the impact of recreational drug use on heart health.
It follows another French study that found women who frequently smoke weed face a significantly higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who abstain.
Additionally, earlier research from the University of Southern California indicated that marijuana users are between 3.5 and 5 times more likely to develop head and neck cancers.
Dr. Mirailles suggests that, given these findings, systemic drug screening should be considered in intensive care settings to better manage the risks associated with drug use in critical patients.
As more evidence emerges, the dangers of recreational drug use—often underestimated—are becoming increasingly clear, posing a significant threat to public health.