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Report of methamphetamine use and cardiomyopathy in three patients

Roxana Sadeghi1, Khosro Agin, Maryam Taherkhani

  • 1Clinical Toxicology Department, Loghman Hakim Hospital Poison Center, Faculty of Medicine, and Toxicological Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. shadniatrc@sbmu.ac.ir.

Daru : Journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
|January 29, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Chronic methamphetamine (meth) use can lead to severe heart problems, including cardiomyopathy and acute heart failure. This emerging concern requires medical attention, especially for emergency department admissions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Toxicology
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Methamphetamine (meth) is a globally illicit stimulant.
  • Chronic meth use is linked to cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure.
  • Patients may present to emergency departments with these cardiac issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report cases of methamphetamine-induced cardiomyopathy.
  • To highlight acute heart failure as a potential consequence of meth use.
  • To raise awareness of this emerging medical concern.

Main Methods:

  • Case series involving three patients (one male, two female) with a history of meth use.
  • Patients presented to the emergency department with severe dyspnea.
  • Echocardiography revealed severe systolic dysfunction; other etiologies were excluded.

Main Results:

  • All patients exhibited sinus tachycardia and tachypnea.
  • Echocardiograms confirmed severe systolic dysfunction consistent with heart failure.
  • Cardiomyopathy was diagnosed with no cause other than methamphetamine use.

Conclusions:

  • Increasing methamphetamine use suggests cardiomyopathy and acute heart failure may be a novel medical concern.
  • Prompt recognition and management of meth-induced cardiac toxicity are crucial.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the long-term cardiovascular impact of methamphetamine.
Abstract

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