Substance use disorders added to CDC list of health conditions that raise COVID risks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added substance use disorders, such as alcohol, opioid or cocaine use, to its list of medical conditions that put individuals at greater risk of developing severe COVID-19, citing the serious effects many drugs can have on people’s health.
The agency updated its guidance Monday based on scientific evidence from medical centers across the globe that have found connections between substance use disorders and higher risks of coronavirus-related hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit, need for mechanical ventilation, and death.
People who use drugs may also have underlying health conditions that increase their risks of severe disease, including chronic kidney disease, obesity and serious heart conditions, the CDC says, adding that overall fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. have been on the rise since before the pandemic.
“This is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated information as it becomes available,” the agency said.
Some people with substance use disorders may also be more likely to get infected with coronavirus because of certain lifestyle factors or outcomes, including overcrowded living conditions, incarceration, lack of access to health care and higher rates of homelessness, according to a November study on about 11,000 COVID-19 patients across 35 health care systems in the U.S.
It found that people with a substance use disorder who developed COVID-19 were 1.84 times more likely to be hospitalized, 1.45 times more likely to need a ventilator to breathe and 1.3 times more likely to die than those without the disorder.
The drugs themselves could be the culprit behind worse COVID-19 outcomes, too.
Opioids, tobacco, methamphetamines and alcohol can suppress the immune system by damaging the lungs, heart and upper airways — all of which the coronavirus has been shown to attack. Put together, those with substance use disorders and COVID-19 may suffer from longer lasting infections and produce lower levels of protective antibodies after recovering.
The CDC offers more specific examples on its updated list of medical conditions.
Opioids, for example, can slow breathing enough to decrease oxygen in the blood, cause brain damage or death. Stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine can lead to stroke, heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythm and seizures. Over time, these drugs can cause heart or lung damage.
Smoking and vaping a variety of drugs can also damage the respiratory system —causing issues such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — which is already under attack by the coronavirus, a respiratory pathogen.
Meanwhile, other conditions such as HIV are not only more common among those who inject drugs, but they are also conditions that add to COVID-19 risks.
A separate study published in December found that people with cocaine use disorder were 1.78 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, while those with alcohol use disorder faced a 6.7 times higher chance of needing hospital admission. Similar increased risks for severe COVID-19 outcomes were seen among those who had experienced a drug overdose.
The CDC says overdoses are less likely to be fatal if others are present; just make sure to practice mask wearing, hand washing and physical distancing if surrounded by other people. Otherwise, the agency suggests using small amounts of a drug at a time or telling friends or family when you’ll be using them to lower the risk of overdose.
Although risks for severe COVID-19 are high for people with substance use disorders, the CDC says it’s up to states to determine when certain people are eligible for vaccines, which will help protect them against infection, hospitalization and death.
President Joe Biden said that by May 1, all Americans 16 and older will be eligible to get vaccinated. However, most states have already started to expand their vaccination criteria.
This story was originally published March 29, 2021 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Substance use disorders added to CDC list of health conditions that raise COVID risks."
