effect of Opium addiction on arrhythmia following acute mocardial infarction

ABSTRACT

The effect of opium addiction on the appearance of different types of arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction [AMI] has been assessed in few studies. This study is aimed to determine the effect of opium on post-MI arrhythmia and also to address the differences in the appearance of different types of arrhythmias after AMI between opium addicted and non-addicted patients. In this comparative study, participants were classified into two groups with opium addiction [n=94] and without opium addiction [n=106]. Post-MI arrhythmias were determined among each group. Study populations were included all patients with first AMI admitted within 6 hours of the onset of chest pain to coronary care units [CCU] of two teaching hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences [KUMS] in the city of Kerman, Iran. Opium addicted subjects had significantly more frequency of arrhythmia than non-opium addicted subjects [80.9% vs. 22.6%, respectively; P<0.001]. Opium addiction was a strong predictor for the occurrence of post- MI arrhythmias in two models of crude analysis [crude OR=14.4, P<0.001] and after adjusting for potential confounder factors [adjusted OR = 21.9, P<0.001]. The prevalence of sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia and atrial fibrillation in opium addicts were significantly higher than non opium addicts [P<0.05]. The results of our study showed that opium addiction is a potential and strong risk for occurring post-MI arrhythmias