Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles
Rise in street drug use may be linked to higher stroke incidence
By Staff Writer
Street drug use among younger stroke patients has risen, according to new stroke research conducted by the University of Cincinnati. This substance abuse by individuals may explain the stroke incidence in younger age groups.
The researchers behind this study examined three one-year periods, which included 1993 to 1994, 1999 and 2005. From year to year, smoking and alcohol use rates remained relatively stable. However, the rate of street drug abuse, such as marijuana, crack cocaine and other substances, increased from 0.5 percent in the first study period to 4.6 percent in the last.
Data from this 13-year period was collected from patient charts or positive blood and urine tests.
These statistics related to street drug use are important, according to the researchers, as they reveal that the heaviest street drug usage in 2005, 21 percent, was among stroke patients who were 35 years of age or younger. This data may point to a possible explanation for the high stroke incidence among younger individuals.
Pursuing substance abuse help from a drug rehab facility may help individuals abstain from usage and prevent the potentially harmful effects to their health.
