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Published on: November 18, 2018
Methamphetamine-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in a Japanese Pulmonary Hypertension Referral Center
Shinya Fujisaki1, Atsushi Kuraishi1, Ryo Takano1
1Division of Pulmonary Circulation, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Osaka Japan.
Background:
Methamphetamine-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (Meth-PAH) is increasingly recognized in Western countries, but Japanese data remain limited.
Methods And Results:
Of 363 patients with PAH, we identified 5 patients with Meth-PAH (1.4%); 4 were women, with a mean age of 37.6±7.2 years. Patients receiving PAH-specific therapy showed favorable hemodynamic responses, although 40% of patients experienced treatment discontinuation and methamphetamine reuse.
Conclusions:
In this case series of 5 Japanese patients with Meth-PAH, there was a high rate of treatment discontinuation and methamphetamine reuse, which suggests possible underdiagnosis of Meth-PAH and barriers to sustained care in Japan.
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