Illicit drug abuse & cardiac ailments-huge socioeconomic burden, concern: Dr Sushil
STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: In view of ever increasing use of illicit drugs in society and younger generation being vulnerable to it very easily Head Department of Cardiology GMCH Jammu Dr Sushil Sharma held a day long cardiac awareness cum health check up camp at Shri Hanuman Temple area of Digiana, Jammu to educate the people about the various cardiovascular diseases caused due to substance abuse and ways to overcome them so as to pave way for healthy heart lifestyle for present and coming generations. While interacting with the people Dr Sushil Stated that the global burden of cardiovascular disorders (CVDs) has soared over the last few years. This increase is being attributed to lifestyle, food habits, and an increase in substance use disorders (SUDs), the most common being alcohol, tobacco smoking, e-cigarettes, stimulants, marijuana, steroids, and opioids. SUD is currently being regarded as major healthcare and social issue. There is limited knowledge about the mechanism of how different substances impact cardiovascular health. However, few studies implicate multi factorial pathogenesis. Stimulants are associated with decreased catecholamine reuptake, thus causing sympathetic overdrive with increased myocardial oxygen demand and marked vasospasm along with abnormal platelet aggregation resulting in acute arterial hypertension, thrombosis, and accelerated atherosclerosis. In addition, people who inject opioids are at increased risk for developing endocarditis, a dangerous bacterial infection of the heart. More than one episode of endocarditis increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. He added that most illegal drugs can have adverse cardiovascular effects, ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks. Injecting illegal drugs also can lead to cardiovascular problems, such as collapsed veins and bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves. Many drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and various forms of amphetamine, affect the central nervous system and can alter a user’s consciousness. In addition to addiction, the side effects and risks associated with use of these drugs include changes in body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure , headaches, abdominal pain, and nausea , impaired judgment and greater risk of some sexually transmitted infections , the possibility of added substances (such as talc, poisons, herbicides or other particles) which may cause a toxic reaction, heart attacks, seizures, and respiratory arrest, Risks of the heart rhythm disorder were elevated in illicit drug users regardless of established predisposing factors including age, obesity, tobacco use, alcohol abuse, heart disease, and diabetes, He said . Prominent members of the Area Shri Narinder Gupta ( Bittu) , Narinder Gupta ( Koki), Bharat Bhushan , Shallu Gupta ,Ritika Gupta ,Rachit Khosla, Rajesh Sharma, Yashpal Sharma , Ashwani Kumar appreciated the efforts of Dr Sushil and his team for conducting cardiac awareness cum health check up camp in their locality . Shri Sham Lal Choudhary ( former Minister J&K ) and Vinay Gupta ( Former Distt President Jammu) also graced the Occasion . Others who were part of this Camp includes Dr Nasir Ali Choudhary, Dr Dhaneshwer kapoor, Dr Irfan Ahmed and Dr Sahil Sayed. Paramedics and volunteers includes Raghav Rajput , Mukesh Kumar, Rajinder Singh , Faisal Rashid , Moosa Mushtaq, Jatin Bhasin, Maninder Singh , Akshay Singh , Ranjeet Singh ,Sunny Sharma ,Arun singh , Jamshed Ali ,Gourav Sharma , Nitish Mahajan , Vinay Kumar, Nirvair Singh Bali , Vikas Kumar and Amandeep Singh.
