IV (intravenous) drug use can lead to more than just addiction. It’s also linked to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases that are often caused by unsafe injection practices.
What are the common IV drug use health risks? We’ll provide a complete review here, with a focus on hepatitis and HIV, which are two of the most common diseases that can result from needle sharing and other unsafe practices.
Plus, we’ll discuss treatment options that can help when you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction to IV drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine, to get help before these health risks occur. Keep reading for all the details.
How IV Drug Use Increases Risk of HIV and Hepatitis
The CDC states that sharing needles and syringes, reusing them, or unsanitary conditions are the primary reasons why infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis spread during IV drug use.
When someone is injecting drugs into a vein, they’re exposing the needle and syringe to any disease that’s present in their blood. Then, if that person shares injection equipment with others, there’s a very high chance the disease can be passed between them.
In addition to needle sharing risks, cookers, cotton, or rinse water that are shared or prepared in an unsanitary environment can also pass diseases such as hepatitis and HIV between everyone using them.
IV Drug Use Infection Rates
Getting infections from IV drug use is more common than you might think.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis and IV drug use are strongly linked. A study published by the Western Journal of Medicine found that about 20% of all hepatitis B infections occur because of sharing contaminated injection equipment during IV drug use. Additionally, of people who have been injecting for more than 10 years, 80% become infected with hepatitis B at some point.
Hepatitis B is a serious condition. That same study found that 4,000 to 5,000 people infected with it die each year because of resulting health effects such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Another study from the Journal of Current Hepatitis Reports found a similar link between IV drug use and hepatitis C. The research estimated that 10-40% of injection drug users contract hepatitis C each year, and 70-90% of people using IV drugs for more than 10 years are infected with it at some point.
HIV
There’s another significant connection between HIV and IV drug use. The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care states that people who inject drugs are 22 times more likely to have HIV than the general population.
Hepatitis and HIV Overlap
The CDC states that there’s a significant HIV and hepatitis overlap that’s common among people who share injection equipment. The CDC estimates that up to 62-80% of people who use injection drugs for an extended time will contract both HIV and hepatitis.
The Link Between HIV, Hepatitis, and Addiction
As the research shows, people who inject drugs are much more vulnerable to contracting infectious diseases. It can even be as simple as unknowingly buying used needles or syringes from someone, or using injection equipment that was stored in an unsanitary environment.
In addition to using shared or unsanitary equipment, the compounding effects of addiction can also place IV drug users at a greater risk of infection.
Studies show that injection drug use can lower the immune system over time, setting you up for a greater risk of contracting diseases like hepatitis and HIV.
Additionally, pre-existing liver damage due to drug use could set you up for further complications caused by diseases like hepatitis. The Mayo Clinic states that people with liver disease are more likely to react to toxic hepatitis, and it can accelerate the damage that hepatitis causes.
Symptoms and Long-Term Effects of HIV and Hepatitis
The early symptoms of hepatitis and HIV are often ignored, but catching them early can make a difference in being able to get treatment that helps.
Common early symptoms of HIV are:
- Fatigue
- Swelling in the neck
- Fever
- Increased sweating
- Diarrhea
- Unexpected weight loss
- Mouth sores
- Rash
- Muscle weakness
- Headaches
- Memory problems
Common early symptoms of hepatitis are:
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Joint pain
- Muscle aches
- Itchy skin
- Dark urine
- Pale or clay-colored stools
When you notice any of these early symptoms, it’s important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. Getting early treatment can help prevent more serious long-term consequences such as organ damage, chronic illness, cognitive decline, or death.
Harm Reduction Strategies
Due to the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis caused by IV drug use, organizations like the CDC are putting a lot of effort into harm reduction strategies that can help. That includes:
- Safe needle exchange programs in areas highly affected by addiction
- Free or low-cost access to HIV and hepatitis testing
- Education for drug use prevention and safer practices
- Encouraging vaccinations or antivirals for hepatitis or preventative medications like PrEP for HIV
While each strategy helps reduce harm, the best way to prevent the consequences of IV drug use is to avoid using recreational drugs or seeking addiction treatment that can assist in getting and staying sober.
Why Recovery is the Best Prevention
Recovery from addiction reduces infection risks dramatically. When you’re no longer using drugs, you won’t have to worry about using dirty injection equipment that could cause harm. Instead, the focus turns to recovering, building strategies to stay sober for the long term, and making lifestyle changes to improve your health and well-being.
You can recover from IV drug addiction. Treatment options, such as medical detox, inpatient rehab, and outpatient rehab, can help you safely stop using drugs and manage withdrawal symptoms while receiving therapeutic care that helps you heal and build skills for ongoing success.
How United Recovery Project Helps
United Recovery Project is a drug and alcohol treatment center that can help when you or a loved one is struggling with IV drug use and is worried about the long-term consequences.
We offer evidence-based medical detox, inpatient, and outpatient treatment options that we can customize to your needs to achieve the best possible results. When you work with us, you’ll receive a friendly and safe treatment environment that can provide support every step of the way.
Don’t wait until the effects of IV drug addiction get worse. Contact us today to learn more about how treatment at United Recovery Project can make a difference for you.
References
- “Infectious Diseases in Persons Who Inject Drugs.” Persons Who Inject Drugs (PWID), 26 Apr. 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/persons-who-inject-drugs/about/index.html
- Seal, K. H. “Risk of Hepatitis B Infection among Young Injection Drug Users in San Francisco: Opportunities for Intervention.” Western Journal of Medicine, vol. 172, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2000, pp. 16–20, doi:10.1136/ewjm.172.1.16. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1070710/
- Edlin, Brian R., et al. “Managing Hepatitis C in Users of Illicit Drugs.” Current Hepatitis Reports, vol. 6, no. 2, May 2007, pp. 60–67, doi:10.1007/s11901-007-0005-8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3690289/
- “People Who Inject Drugs (PWID).” International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, https://www.iapac.org/fact-sheet/people-who-inject-drugs-pwid/
- “Viral Hepatitis among People with HIV.” Viral Hepatitis, 23 May 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcp/populations-settings/hiv.html
- Mayo Clinic. “Toxic Hepatitis – Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 2019, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/toxic-hepatitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352202
