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Vicodin Addiction, Opioid Use And Heart Surgery... Beware!

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page Last Updated: June 7, 2025

I'm just getting back from dinner at my mother-in-law's house. Bonnie really is such a great cook! She made this cheese, blintz souflee that was yummm-eeeeee.

Anyways... During dinner, I started speaking with Robert, a retired pharmacist. We started talking about heart valve surgery and the problems I had during my recovery from double heart valve surgery (specifically cardiac depression). I mentioned my post-operative issue with Vicodin and Robert became very intrigued by the discussion.

Robert used to work as an I.C.U. pharmacist. He went on to tell some really interesting statistics about Vicodin and heart surgery patients.

Specifically, Robert told me that Vicodin is the preferred pain medication administered following cardiac surgery. Are you ready for the statistic that blew my mind?

For every ten patients who use Vicodin regularly following heart surgery, one of those ten patients become addicted. One in ten! Or, 10% of heart patients have an addiction to Vicodin!

I guess I was part of that ten percent group. Looking back on it, there was nothing fun about my Vicodin issue.

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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