Methamphetamine Use and Cardiovascular Disease.

Abstract

While the opioid epidemic has garnered significant attention, the use of methamphetamines is growing worldwide independent of wealth or region. Following overdose and accidents, the leading cause of death in methamphetamine users is cardiovascular disease, because of significant effects of methamphetamine on vasoconstriction, pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerotic plaque formation, cardiac arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy. In this review, we examine the current literature on methamphetamine-induced changes in cardiovascular health, discuss the potential mechanisms regulating these varied effects, and highlight our deficiencies in understanding how to treat methamphetamine-associated cardiovascular dysfunction.

• Authors: Christopher G Kevil, Nicholas E Goeders, Matthew D Woolard, Md Shenuarin Bhuiyan, Paari Dominic, Gopi K Kolluru, Connie L Arnold, James G Traylor, A Wayne Orr
• Journal: Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol) Vol. 39 Issue 9 Pg. 1739-1746 (09 2019) ISSN: 1524-4636 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 31433698 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Review)

Chemical References

• Methamphetamine

Topics

• Arrhythmias, Cardiac (chemically induced)
• Atherosclerosis (chemically induced)
• Cardiomyopathies (chemically induced)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (chemically induced)
• Humans
• Hypertension, Pulmonary (chemically induced)
• Methamphetamine (toxicity)
• Vasoconstriction (drug effects)