Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy: Addressing the Clinical Challenges

The growth in methamphetamine usage worldwide continues to present increasing societal and health care challenges. With the escalation of its usage in a variety of social demographics, the entity of methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy (MA-CMP) has emerged. This entity is increasingly responsible for an important proportion of heart failure burden in both admissions to hospital and in those individuals requiring chronic heart failure care. MA-CMP poses some unique challenges including its recognition, particularly in younger patients presenting with new-onset heart failure, its severity at presentation and complications as well as management options. The challenging nature of methamphetamine addiction and the necessity to achieve abstinence is a fundamental aspect of management of this condition. As methamphetamine use continues at high levels in Australia, the burden of MA-CMP will inevitably increase and, therefore, all clinicians responsible for heart failure management require an awareness of this disease entity and the specific clinical challenges of its care.