Trends of Substance Use among Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease in the United States, 2015-2019

Despite the adverse effects of substance use on health among individuals with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD), little is known about trends and correlates for substance use among individuals with CVD. We examined trends of use in tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis among US adults with heart disease. Using nationally representative data from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 7339), we conducted survey-adjusted logistic regression analyses to test the significance of trends in substance use while controlling for sociodemographic factors and related correlates. Results showed that the prevalence of cannabis use among adults with a heart condition significantly increased. Notably, the prevalence of cannabis use increased by 91% among non-Hispanic Whites, while the increasing trends were not present among other racial/ethnic groups. Our results also showed that increase in cannabis use was associated with easier access, lower disapproval, and risk perceptions of cannabis. Special attention is needed to raise awareness of the risk associated with cannabis use among individuals with CVD and the implementation of an early screening and treatment strategy among those with CVD.