Early-onset alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use with age at onset of hypertension: a survival analysis.

Using data from 19,270 individuals in the 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health who had developed hypertension, the average age at onset of hypertension was 42.7 years. Earlier first use of alcohol, cigars, smokeless tobacco, marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants, cocaine, LSD, and methamphetamine was associated with a significantly earlier onset of hypertension compared with never using those substances. After accounting for other factors, early-onset (before age 18) use of alcohol, smokeless tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, and methamphetamine each increased the risk of earlier hypertension onset, with hazard ratios ranging from 1.22 to 1.85. The findings suggest that preventing substance use before age 18 may help delay the development of hypertension in adulthood.

Study at a glance

Abstract

To examine the associations of age when first substance use and early-onset substance use before age 18 with age at onset (AAO) of hypertension. This study included 19,270 individuals with AAO of hypertension from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Age when first use of 10 substance use variables included alcohol, daily cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), inhalants, and methamphetamine use. The outcome was AAO of hypertension and variable cluster analysis was used to classify the exposures and outcome. Substance use status was classified into three categories: early-onset substance use (first used substance before age 18), late-onset substance use (first used substance after age 18), and never used. The mean AAO of hypertension was 42.7 years. Age when first use of 10 substance use variables had significant correlations with AAO of hypertension (all p values < 0.001). Individuals with early-onset alcohol, cigars, smokeless tobacco, marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants, cocaine, LSD, and methamphetamine use revealed significantly earlier onset of hypertension than those never used. Compared with never used substances, the Cox regression model showed that early-onset alcohol, smokeless tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, and methamphetamine use had an increased risk of AAO of hypertension [hazard ratio (HR) (95%CI) = 1.22 (1.13, 1.31), 1.36 (1.24, 1.49), 1.85 (1.75, 1.95), 1.41 (1.30, 1.52), and 1.27 (1.07,1.50), respectively]. These findings suggest that intervention strategies or programs focusing on preventing early-onset substance use before age 18 may delay the onset of adult hypertension.