Editorial
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Cardiol. Nov 26, 2013; 5(11): 397-403
Published online Nov 26, 2013. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v5.i11.397
Intravenous drug abuse and tricuspid valve endocarditis: Growing trends in the Middle East Gulf region
Prashanth Panduranga, Seif Al-Abri, Jawad Al-Lawati
Prashanth Panduranga, Department of Cardiology, Royal Hospital, Muscat-111, Oman
Seif Al-Abri, Department of Medicine, Royal Hospital, PB 1331, Muscat-111, Oman
Jawad Al-Lawati, Department of Non-communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, PB 393, Muscat-113, Oman
Author contributions: All the authors contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Prashanth Panduranga, MD, FRCP (Edin), Department of Cardiology, Royal Hospital, Post Box 1331, Muscat-111, Oman. prashanthp_69@yahoo.co.in
Telephone: +968-92-603746 Fax: +968-24-599841
Received: June 8, 2013
Revised: September 10, 2013
Accepted: October 16, 2013
Published online: November 26, 2013
Processing time: 179 Days and 13 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: It is presumed that tricuspid valve endocarditis is uncommon in the Middle East region. However, recently published global data indicate growing trends in the use of illicit drug abuse in the Middle East Gulf region. The Middle East Gulf States, currently a transit market, are also becoming a growing consumer market in view of the consumption patterns of substance abuse in the youth. This article reviews the epidemiology of illicit drug abuse in the Middle East Gulf region as well as diagnosis and treatment of tricuspid valve endocarditis.