Prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias in cannabis use disorder related hospitalizations in teenagers from 2003 to 2016 in the United States

Cannabis is an increasingly common recreational substance used by teenagers. However, there is limited data probing association of cardiac arrhythmias with marijuana use in this population.

We provide prevalence trends, disease burden and healthcare utilization of cardiac arrhythmias associated with cannabis use disorder (CUD) in hospitalized teenagers (13–20 years) using a large national administrative database in the United States from 2003–2016. We used partial least square regression analysis for assessing trends in prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias and multiple logistic regression to elucidate independent predictors of arrhythmias associated with CUD. Among all CUD related hospitalizations (n = 876, 431), 0.5% had arrhythmias. Prevalence trends of arrhythmias among CUD increased six-fold during the study period (P < 0.001). CUD was more prevalent in males and older teens (both P < 0.001). There was a significant risk for mortality when CUD was associated with arrhythmia (7.4% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.001). While mean length-of-stay (LOS) was shorter (4.4 vs. 5.4 days, P < 0.001) for patients with CUD, they incurred three times higher mean hospitalization charges when compared to CUD patients without arrhythmia ($45 959 vs. $18 986, P < 0.001). Both LOS and hospitalization charges showed an uptrend during the study period (P < 0.001). Congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, and obesity independently predicted arrhythmias in CUD while other substance abuse did not change the risk of arrhythmia in CUD.

Arrhythmia burden is increasing among teenagers with CUD, and co-occurrence of arrhythmia and CUD worsens hospital outcomes.