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Psychostimulant Use and Fatal Stroke in Young Adults

Shane Darke1, Johan Duflou1,2, Sharlene Kaye1

  • 1National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Journal of Forensic Sciences
|April 4, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Psychostimulant drug use significantly increases stroke risk in young adults. This study found psychostimulant users comprised 17.9% of fatal strokes in individuals aged 15-44 years.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Psychostimulant use is a known risk factor for cerebrovascular events.
  • Young adults represent a demographic with increasing psychostimulant consumption.
  • Fatal stroke data in this age group requires further investigation regarding substance use.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To ascertain the prevalence of psychostimulant use among young adults experiencing fatal strokes.
  • To characterize the types of strokes and associated factors in psychostimulant users.
  • To inform clinical considerations for stroke prevention and management in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of fatal stroke cases in young adults (15-44 years) from the National Coronial Information System (2009-2016).
  • Classification of stroke types: hemorrhagic, ischemic, thrombotic, and mycotic.
  • Toxicology screening for psychostimulants in blood samples.

Main Results:

  • A total of 279 fatal stroke cases were identified; 50 (17.9%) were psychostimulant users.
  • Methamphetamine was the predominant psychostimulant detected (32/45).
  • Psychostimulant users were more likely to have intraparenchymal hemorrhagic strokes (OR 2.33) and a history of tobacco use (OR 2.64), and less likely to be obese (OR 0.31).

Conclusions:

  • Psychostimulant use plays a substantial role in fatal strokes among young adults.
  • Hemorrhagic stroke in young adults warrants consideration of psychostimulant use.
  • Public health strategies addressing psychostimulant abuse may reduce stroke incidence in young populations.

Keywords:
fatalforensic sciencehemorrhagicintraparenchymalischemicpsychostimulantsstroke

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