TY - JOUR
T1 - Electrocardiographic characteristics in individuals with cocaine use disorder
AU - Mahoney, James J.
AU - Haile, Colin N.
AU - De La Garza, Richard
AU - Thakkar, Harsh
AU - Newton, Thomas F.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by NIH via support to RDLG (DA023624, DA028387, DA023588) and to TFN (DA018197). This material is the result of work supported with resources from, and the use of facilities at, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
PY - 2017/4/1
Y1 - 2017/4/1
N2 - Background and Objectives: Chronic cocaine use has been linked to several abnormalities in cardiac functioning. The objective of this study was to further characterize baseline heart rate and electrocardiograph (ECG) profiles of individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) by evaluating demographic and drug use variables that may impact cardiovascular profiles. Methods: Participants with CUD (n = 335, primarily African-American males) provided demographic and drug use data and ECG profiles (eg, heart rate, PR Interval, QRS, and QTc) were obtained via 12-lead ECG. Results: Forty-eight percent and ten percent of cocaine users met criteria for sinus bradycardia (heart rate ≤60) and severe bradycardia (heart rate ≤50), respectively. Females had significantly higher heart rate (p =.020, d =.30) and QTc (p <.001, d =.75) and significantly lower QRS (p =.002, d =.42) in comparison to males. Those who were cocaine positive had higher QTc (p =.025, d =.26) with a higher prevalence of bradycardia (chi-square = 3.91, p =.048) than those who were negative. Cocaine users who also used alcohol had significantly lower PR Interval (p =.003, d =.36), QRS (p =.014, d =.29), and QTc (p =.037, d =.25) than those who denied alcohol use. Conclusions: These findings characterize the baseline heart rate and ECG profiles of individuals with CUD, confirm previous reports of cocaine-induced alterations in cardiovascular function, and demonstrate factors impacting cardiovascular profiles. Scientific Significance: While exploratory, these results suggest the presence of bradycardia may serve as a useful biomarker for initiating therapy for individuals with CUD and averting potential adverse cardiovascular events. Future prospective studies are needed to assess this possibility. (Am J Addict 2017;26:221–227).
AB - Background and Objectives: Chronic cocaine use has been linked to several abnormalities in cardiac functioning. The objective of this study was to further characterize baseline heart rate and electrocardiograph (ECG) profiles of individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) by evaluating demographic and drug use variables that may impact cardiovascular profiles. Methods: Participants with CUD (n = 335, primarily African-American males) provided demographic and drug use data and ECG profiles (eg, heart rate, PR Interval, QRS, and QTc) were obtained via 12-lead ECG. Results: Forty-eight percent and ten percent of cocaine users met criteria for sinus bradycardia (heart rate ≤60) and severe bradycardia (heart rate ≤50), respectively. Females had significantly higher heart rate (p =.020, d =.30) and QTc (p <.001, d =.75) and significantly lower QRS (p =.002, d =.42) in comparison to males. Those who were cocaine positive had higher QTc (p =.025, d =.26) with a higher prevalence of bradycardia (chi-square = 3.91, p =.048) than those who were negative. Cocaine users who also used alcohol had significantly lower PR Interval (p =.003, d =.36), QRS (p =.014, d =.29), and QTc (p =.037, d =.25) than those who denied alcohol use. Conclusions: These findings characterize the baseline heart rate and ECG profiles of individuals with CUD, confirm previous reports of cocaine-induced alterations in cardiovascular function, and demonstrate factors impacting cardiovascular profiles. Scientific Significance: While exploratory, these results suggest the presence of bradycardia may serve as a useful biomarker for initiating therapy for individuals with CUD and averting potential adverse cardiovascular events. Future prospective studies are needed to assess this possibility. (Am J Addict 2017;26:221–227).
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U2 - 10.1111/ajad.12524
DO - 10.1111/ajad.12524
M3 - Article
C2 - 28248441
AN - SCOPUS:85014000293
SN - 1055-0496
VL - 26
SP - 221
EP - 227
JO - American Journal on Addictions
JF - American Journal on Addictions
IS - 3
ER -