Effect of Heroin on Electrocardiographic Parameters.

BACKGROUND

Heroin addiction is currently a significant health problem, and information on the electrocardiographic effects of heroin is limited.

OBJETIVO: The aim of the present study is to investigate effects of heroin addiction on electrocardiographic parameters.

METHODS

A total of 136 individuals, including 66 individuals who smoke heroin as the study group and 70 healthy individuals with no drug addiction as the control group, were included in the study. Individuals who inject heroin were excluded. Electrocardiographic (ECG) evaluation of those using heroin was performed and compared with those of the control group. In addition, pre-treatment and post-treatment ECG of the heroin group were compared. A p-value of <0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.

RESULTS

Heart rate (77.2±12.8 versus 71.4±11.2; p=0.02) were found to be higher in the heroin group compared to the control group. QT (341.50±25.80 versus 379.11±45.23; p=0.01), QTc intervals (385.12±29.11 versus 411.3±51.70; p<0.01), and T peak to end time (Tpe) (65.41±10.82 versus 73.3±10.13; p<0.01) were significantly shorter in the heroin group. No difference was observed between the groups with regard to Tpe/QT and Tpe/QTc ratios. In the subgroup analysis of the heroin group, QT (356.81±37.49 versus 381.18±40.03; p<0.01) and QTc (382.06±26.41 versus 396.06±29.80; p<0.01) intervals were significantly shorter in the pre-treatment period.

CONCLUSION

Heroin addiction significantly affects the QT, QTc, and Tpe time intervals. The arrhythmia effects of these parameters are well known. More attention to the electrocardiographic parameters of these individuals should be given. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 115(6):1135-1141).