Background: The effects of opium consumption on coronary artery disease are still unknown.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2405 patients admitted to the Angiographic Ward at Tehran Heart Center from 7 May 2005 to 13 August 2005.
Results: After adjusting for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, opium consumption was a significant risk factor for coronary artery disease (P=0.01 and odds ratio=1.8). Moreover, the amount of opium consumption was associated significantly with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis, as measured by clinical vessel score (r=0.2, P=0.002).
Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first time that the adverse effects of opium consumption on coronary arteries was defined.