Hospitalizations and surgeries to treat drug-associated infective endocarditis increased more than tenfold in North Carolina, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found.
Endocarditis is a heart valve infection typically found in older patients as valves become weaker, but bacteria introduced into the body by injecting a drug can also cause endocarditis.
The researchers looked at state data on endocarditis hospitalizations from 2007-17 and found a tenfold increase in hospitalizations due to drug-associated infective endocarditis. The most significant spike was in the past four years.
As recently as five years ago, less than 10 heart valve replacement surgeries were for drug-associated infective endocarditis. Now, North Carolina physicians complete 109 surgeries each year to treat the disease. These surgeries mostly occur in young patients, and 33 is the median age.
The researchers say they want future studies to focus on the long-term outcomes of valve replacement surgery, including reinfection, repeat surgeries and drug overdose. They also aim to explore ways to enhance addiction care services during hospital care and after discharge.