People with substance use disorders, including those who excessively use tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine, are more susceptible to Covid-19 and its complications, according to a study which assessed the electronic health records of millions of patients in the US.
The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Psychiatry, noted that health care providers should closely monitor patients with such disorders and develop action plans to help shield them from infection and severe outcomes.
The team found that while individuals with a SUD constituted 10.3 per cent of the total study population, they represented 15.6 per cent of the Covid-19 cases. The lungs and cardiovascular system are often compromised in such people, which may partially explain their heightened susceptibility to the virus.