• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Saturday, August 2, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

Injection of opioids linked to significant increase in bacterial heart infections

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
January 28, 2019
in Health
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

IMAGE

Credit: ICES


LONDON, ON – People who inject drugs are at a high risk for a number of health issues. In a new study from ICES, Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University, researchers discovered a significant rise in the risk of infective endocarditis, a serious heart infection, among Ontarians who inject drugs. When examining opioid prescriptions in the province, the research team discovered the increased risk of infective endocarditis may be related to the growing use of a specific opioid, hydromorphone.

The researchers looked at de-identified Ontario health data for 60,529 hospital admissions related to injection drug use between 2006 and 2015. Of the 60,529 admissions, 733 patients had infective endocarditis. Although hospital admission rates in people who inject drugs were stable over the study period, the risk of infective endocarditis increased from 13.4 admissions to 35.1 admissions every three months.

“Rates of infective endocarditis in people who inject drugs have been increasing around the world and our study shows this is true in Ontario,” says Dr. Matthew Weir, adjunct scientist at ICES, associate scientist at Lawson and assistant professor at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. “We wondered if a change in the types of drugs people inject was responsible for this higher risk.”

Through further analysis of Ontario health data, the team discovered the increasing risk of infective endocarditis may be linked to a rise in prescriptions of the opioid hydromorphone. The number of hydromorphone prescriptions in Ontario increased from 16 per cent of all opioid prescriptions in 2006 to 53 per cent by 2015. This parallels the timing for increased risk of infective endocarditis among people who inject drugs.

The researchers initially suspected the increased risk for infective endocarditis would begin when controlled-release oxycodone was removed from the market in 2011.

“We thought hydromorphone prescriptions would increase when controlled-release oxycodone was removed from the market, leading to increased risk of heart infection,” says Dr. Michael Silverman, associate scientist at Lawson and associate professor at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. “However, while the study did show a substantial increase in risk for infective endocarditis, it began in 2010.”

Traditional controlled-release oxycodone was easily dissolvable and people who inject drugs did not save or reuse their injection equipment. Controlled-release hydromorphone, the more common form of the drug, is more difficult to dissolve. Since residue of the drug gets left in injection equipment, injection drug users save the equipment for future use or to share with others. Reusing injection equipment allows multiple opportunities for bacterial contamination, increasing the chances that bacteria will be injected when the equipment is next used.

Infective endocarditis occurs when the inner lining of the heart becomes infected. It can be a life-threatening illness and research suggests it can be caused by sharing or re-using injection equipment, possibly through the injection of bacteria.

“While the timing was not what we expected, we did find a correlation between the rise in infective endocarditis and hydromorphone prescriptions,” says Dr. Sharon Koivu, Lawson scientist and associate professor at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. “Our research is now focused on better understanding the potential relationship between the injection of hydromorphone and risk of infective endocarditis.”

The team is conducting ongoing studies that are looking at whether bacteria that cause infective endocarditis are more likely to survive in equipment used to prepare hydromorphone compared to other drugs.

“The opioid crisis is one of the most pressing health issues of our time. Our findings not only confirm an increasing risk of infective endocarditis in persons who inject drugs but also offer the first evidence for why it might be happening,” says Dr. Weir. “Through research and collaboration, we hope to further collect the evidence needed to address this global problem.”

###

The study, “The risk of infective endocarditis among people who inject drugs: A retrospective, population-based time series analysis,” is published today in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert DeLaet, Communications and External Relations, Lawson Health Research Institute, t. 519.685.8500 ext. 75664, c. 519.619.3872, [email protected]

ICES is an independent, non-profit research institute that uses population-based health information to produce knowledge on a broad range of health care issues. Our unbiased evidence provides measures of health system performance, a clearer understanding of the shifting health care needs of Ontarians, and a stimulus for discussion of practical solutions to optimize scarce resources. ICES knowledge is highly regarded in Canada and abroad, and is widely used by government, hospitals, planners, and practitioners to make decisions about care delivery and to develop policy. In October 2018, the institute formerly known as the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences formally adopted the initialism ICES as its official name. For the latest ICES news, follow us on Twitter: @ICESOntario

ABOUT LAWSON HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE

As the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and working in partnership with Western University, Lawson Health Research Institute is committed to furthering scientific knowledge to advance health care around the world. http://www.lawsonresearch.ca

ABOUT SCHULICH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University is one of Canada’s preeminent medical and dental schools. Established in 1881, it was one of the founding schools of Western University and is known for being the birthplace of family medicine in Canada. For more than 130 years, the School has demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence and a passion for scientific discovery.

Funding information: This study was supported by ICES Western, which is funded by an annual grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC). Core funding for ICES Western is provided by the Academic Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario (AMOSO), the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, and Lawson Health Research Institute.

Media Contact
Robert DeLaet
[email protected]
519-685-8500 x75664

Original Source

https://www.lawsonresearch.ca/injection-opioids-linked-increase-bacterial-heart-infections

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.180694

Tags: AddictionCardiologyDrugsHealth Care Systems/ServicesInfectious/Emerging DiseasesMedicine/HealthPainPublic Health
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

blank

Unraveling EMT’s Role in Colorectal Cancer Spread

August 2, 2025
Gut γδ T17 Cells Drive Brain Inflammation via STING

Gut γδ T17 Cells Drive Brain Inflammation via STING

August 2, 2025

Agent-Based Framework for Assessing Environmental Exposures

August 2, 2025

MARCO Drives Myeloid Suppressor Cell Differentiation, Immunity

August 2, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Blind to the Burn

    Overlooked Dangers: Debunking Common Myths About Skin Cancer Risk in the U.S.

    60 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Dr. Miriam Merad Honored with French Knighthood for Groundbreaking Contributions to Science and Medicine

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    39 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • Study Reveals Beta-HPV Directly Causes Skin Cancer in Immunocompromised Individuals

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Unraveling EMT’s Role in Colorectal Cancer Spread

Gut γδ T17 Cells Drive Brain Inflammation via STING

Agent-Based Framework for Assessing Environmental Exposures

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.