Methamphetamine users at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, study says
San Francisco, CA: Methamphetamine users are at significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and developing heart failure and pulmonary hypertension in specific, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has stated. The magnitude of CVD risk in methamphetamine users was found to be comparable to alcohol and cocaine.
About 27 million people are affected by methamphetamine misuse worldwide and are associated with CVD, however, no detailed study has been done on risk factors for CVD among users. Considering this, Nisha I. Parikh, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, and colleagues aimed to identify the prevalence and incidence of CVD (pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, stroke, and myocardial infarction) among methamphetamine users using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), a large database of millions of hospitalized patients in California.
The researchers also identified the key risk factors that contribute to a range of CVD pathologies associated with methamphetamine use by comparing users who develop CVD and those who do not. Among 20 249 026 persons in the HCUP, 66 199 used methamphetamines (median follow‐up 4.58 years).
Based on the study, the researchers reported the following findings:
- Those who used methamphetamine were more likely younger (33 years versus 45 years), male (63.3% versus 44.4%), misused alcohol, smoked, and had anxiety and depression compared with non-users.
- Methamphetamine use was associated with the development of heart failure (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53) and pulmonary hypertension (HR, 1.42).
- Among users, male sex (HR, 1.73) was associated with myocardial infarction.
- Chronic kidney disease (HR, 2.38) and hypertension (HR, 2.26) were strong risk factors for CVD among users.
- Methamphetamine use compared to nouse was associated with a 32% significant increase in CVD, alcohol abuse with a 28% increase, and cocaine use with a 47% increase in CVD.
"Methamphetamine use has a similar magnitude of CVD risk compared with alcohol and cocaine," the authors wrote in their study. "Among methamphetamine users, those with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease were most at risk of cardiovascular disease."
The findings imply that prevention and treatment could be centered on those with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and mental health disorders.
Reference:
Curran L, Nah G, Marcus GM, Tseng Z, Crawford MH, Parikh NI. Clinical Correlates and Outcomes of Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiovascular Diseases in Hospitalized Patients in California. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Aug 16;11(16):e023663. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.023663. Epub 2022 Aug 1. PMID: 35912709.
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