As the epidemic of opioid use has expanded, so has the incidence of drug-associated endocarditis. North Carolina, where CDC researchers analyzed discharge data from 128 hospitals, saw about a 12-fold jump in hospitalizations for endocarditis combined with drug dependence between 2010-2015.
The incidence of hospitalizations sharply increased, particularly beginning in 2013, from 0.2 cases per 100,000 persons per year in 2010 to 2.7 cases per 100,000 persons in 2015. The rise was fastest among adults aged 18 to 25 years.
About one-third of the patients also were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), a not unexpected finding since IV drug use is a recognized risk factor for both endocarditis and HCV infection.
The financial repercussions also are evident. Between 2010 and 2015, the median hospital charge for drug dependence-associated endocarditis hospitalization jumped from $1.1 million to $22.2 million—an 18-fold increase.
The findings suggest a need to focus on preventive interventions, the researchers say, such as fact-based drug education, syringe service programs, safe injection education, and treatment programs offering opioid agonist and antagonist therapies.