Methamphetamine-related heart failure hospitalizations on the rise

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system.

Also known as Methamphetamine, Crank, Blue, Ice, and Crystal, it usually comes in the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder.

Users frequently snort, smoke or inject drugs. It can also be dissolved in a liquid.

According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Methamphetamine was developed in the early 20th century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and was originally used in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Like amphetamine, methamphetamine causes increased activity and ability to speak, decreased appetite, and a pleasant sense of well-being or euphoria.

The drugs also have longer lasting and more harmful effects on the central nervous system.

Methamphetamine overdose deaths in the United States increased nearly 500 percent from 2012 to 2018, according to the American Medical Association JAMA Network.

“Compared to non-MethHF, MethHF was associated with higher hospital costs, longer lengths of stay and more procedures performed, despite a younger population (94.5% under 65 years) with fewer traditional cardiovascular comorbidities, ”the study authors wrote.

“Crystal meth is very easy to produce locally, using ingredients available over the counter at drugstores, as well as chemicals available at home hardware stores.” Dr Monty Ghosh, an addiction doctor at the University of Calgary in Canada who focuses on methamphetamine use, told Healthline.

“As such, the costs of crystal meth are low. In addition, the potency of crystal meth is much greater than that of cocaine with an increase in dopamine, the brain’s pleasure molecule, of a magnitude greater than that of cocaine or any other addictive substance ”, he added. said Ghosh.

“It also has a very long half-life, causing people to experience euphoria for long periods of time. With low costs, high potency, and easy uptime, it’s no wonder more and more people are turning to crystal meth, ”he added.

Recovery from methamphetamine addiction can be trickier than with other drugs, says Carley Trillow, a licensed chemical addiction counselor with Brighter Days Recovery in Ohio.

Some insurance companies aren’t as likely to cover methamphetamine recovery, and doctors have less control over supply than prescription drug addictions, for which doctors have cut back on prescription writing.

“Access to prescriptions overall became limited and pre-existing conditions persisted, forcing addicts to find other ways to meet their drug addiction needs, with methamphetamine being one of the most common for users. of stimulants, ”Trillow told Healthline.

The California study reported that methamphetamine-related heart failure is more likely to strike during a user’s most productive years. The most affected age group is 45 to 54, followed by 55 to 64.

The largest age group for heart failure unrelated to methamphetamine over the same period was 75 to 84 years old.

“Although beyond the scope of this study, the indirect costs due to lost productivity and quality years of life incurred by MethHF were likely substantial and urgently needed to be explored and validated by future investigations, ”the study authors wrote.

Men made up the largest demographic of those affected by MethHF at 79 percent. The study authors said it was not clear whether the observed lower representation of women was due to lower exposure at lower doses or possible protective effects of estrogen on metabolism and methamphetamine toxicity. The authors also stated that methamphetamine users had a more favorable response to behavior therapy.

The study also indicated that MethHF primarily affected white (49%) and Hispanic (24%) people. But black men saw the biggest increase over the same time period.

The highest density of MethHF cases occurred in rural parts of central and northern California in low-income communities.

The alarming increase in MethHF-related hospitalizations and the associated financial burden and complex geospatial propagation patterns call for a concerted public health and clinical care response campaign to combat this multifaceted and evolving epidemic. fast, ”the study authors concluded.

For more information on how to get help with substance abuse, see the US Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Web page.