Cocaine use in a young urban population with new-onset congestive heart failure

Abstract

Study objectives: The objective of this pilot study is to describe an urban population of patients with new-onset congestive heart failure (CHF) in regard to their demographics, comorbidities, and drug use. Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained. After informed consent, patients were enrolled in a prospective, consecutive manner. All patients suspected to have new-onset CHF in the emergency department were included in the study. There were no exclusion criteria. Data gathered include age, race, sex, alcohol and drug use, and history of hypertension and myocardial infarction. According to previous research, patients were divided into 2 age groups, 18 to 55 years and older than 55 years. Fischer's exact test was performed to define statistically significant differences in presence of comorbidities and drug use between the 2 groups. Results: Over a 12-month period, 75 patients were identified with new-onset CHF. All 75 patients consented to participate in the study. All patients were found to have CHF. Eighty-four percent (n=63) of patients were black; the remaining were white. The mean age of the group was 54.10±13.8 years, which was statistically significantly lower than the mean age of new-onset CHF in the nation (70±13 years; P<.0001). The mean age of the black patients was 55.13±13.91 years, which nearly reached statistical significance compared with the mean age of new-onset CHF among black patients in the nation (57.9±13.5 years; P=.059). Among the data points collected, the only statistically significant difference between the 2 groups was cocaine use. The younger group had statistically significantly more cocaine use than the patients older than 55 years (P=.012). Conclusion: This pilot study has identified an important association of cocaine with new-onset CHF in young patients. The patients in this study are significantly younger at first diagnosis of CHF compared with the national average. Future studies need to determine whether cocaine is a causative or merely associated factor in the development of new-onset CHF in young patients. If cocaine can be identified as a causative factor, cocaine intervention programs may decrease the incidence of new-onset CHF in young patients. Study objectives: The objective of this pilot study is to describe an urban population of patients with new-onset congestive heart failure (CHF) in regard to their demographics, comorbidities, and drug use. Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained. After informed consent, patients were enrolled in a prospective, consecutive manner. All patients suspected to have new-onset CHF in the emergency department were included in the study. There were no exclusion criteria. Data gathered include age, race, sex, alcohol and drug use, and history of hypertension and myocardial infarction. According to previous research, patients were divided into 2 age groups, 18 to 55 years and older than 55 years. Fischer's exact test was performed to define statistically significant differences in presence of comorbidities and drug use between the 2 groups. Results: Over a 12-month period, 75 patients were identified with new-onset CHF. All 75 patients consented to participate in the study. All patients were found to have CHF. Eighty-four percent (n=63) of patients were black; the remaining were white. The mean age of the group was 54.10±13.8 years, which was statistically significantly lower than the mean age of new-onset CHF in the nation (70±13 years; P<.0001). The mean age of the black patients was 55.13±13.91 years, which nearly reached statistical significance compared with the mean age of new-onset CHF among black patients in the nation (57.9±13.5 years; P=.059). Among the data points collected, the only statistically significant difference between the 2 groups was cocaine use. The younger group had statistically significantly more cocaine use than the patients older than 55 years (P=.012). Conclusion: This pilot study has identified an important association of cocaine with new-onset CHF in young patients. The patients in this study are significantly younger at first diagnosis of CHF compared with the national average. Future studies need to determine whether cocaine is a causative or merely associated factor in the development of new-onset CHF in young patients. If cocaine can be identified as a causative factor, cocaine intervention programs may decrease the incidence of new-onset CHF in young patients.