RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction is one of the most important causes of mortality worldwide. The role of opium addiction in the outcome of myocardial infarction is not known with many unproven beliefs surrounding it. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of opium addiction on in-hospital and six-month outcomes of patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: This study was performed on STEMI patients who were initially treated medically in two hospitals without any primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) facility. A total 117 opium addicted patients and 217 non-opium-addicted controls were followed during hospitalization and six months thereafter. The primary endpoint of this study was the in-hospital composite of death, heart failure, recurrent chest pain, and recurrent STEMI. RESULTS: The composite endpoint was not significantly different either in-hospital or after six-month follow up (RR=0.851, 95% CI: 0.578-1.253 and RR=0.899, 95% CI: 0.578-1.253 relatively). Multivariate analysis also confirmed that opium addiction was not a predictor of in-hospital or six-month adverse outcome. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that in-hospital and six-month adverse outcomes in opium addicted patients presenting with STEMI were not significantly different in comparison to patients without any opium addiction.