Based on the most recent 13 years of hospitalization data available, the Western United States has seen the fastest increase in cardiomyopathy-related hospitalizations among methamphetamine users.

According to Dr. Mohammad Bhuiyan of Louisiana State University, hospitalizations for methamphetamine-related cardiomyopathy jumped 231% nationwide from 2008 to 2020, according to the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), compared to hospitalizations for heart failure during this period. The overall increase was only 12%. Shreveport Health Sciences Center and colleagues.

They reported various geographic and social disparities evident in methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy hospitalizations overall.

• By gender: 345% increase in men and 122% increase in women
• By race: 271% increase among whites, 254% increase among blacks, 565% increase among Hispanics, and 645% increase among Asian groups.
• By region, the number increased by 530% in Western Province and 200% in Southern Province. In contrast, no major changes were observed in the Tohoku region.

“Demographically, cardiomyopathy in methamphetamine users occurs primarily in middle-aged patients and men, and tends to be concentrated in the western region of the United States,” Bhuiyan’s team reported. Jack: Progress.

Methamphetamine (commonly known as “meth”) is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug. It is available as a prescription drug for obesity and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but illegal versions are derived from over-the-counter drugs. From 2015 to 2018, an estimated 1.6 million U.S. adults reported using methamphetamine in the past year, according to CDC estimates.

Methamphetamine is known to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including cardiomyopathy, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and coronary artery disease.

“Given the rapidly increasing global burden of methamphetamine-related cardiomyopathy, this study… urges researchers, healthcare professionals, and policy makers to take action to combat this growing epidemic. Importantly, the health care system must also recognize and address this bias for patients with substance use disorders,” said Nisha Parikh, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco School of Health. The physician, MPH, and two colleagues sued.

In an accompanying editorial, the trio wrote that the NIS study shows that from 2002 to 2014, stimulant-related heart failure (MethHF) hospitalizations increased exponentially from 2002 to 2014, especially on the West Coast and among men, younger adults, and younger age groups. He said that this is an extension of previous research. socio-economic group. Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian/Pacific Islanders were also disproportionately affected.

“This study explores why certain geographic regions and populations suffer a disproportionate burden of MethHF, and how local public policies, differences in the availability of psychostimulants, and socio-economic disparities contribute to “This should help us understand what has shaped the trends,” Parikh and colleagues wrote.

They highlight the importance of targeted interventions (e.g., developing pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder (MAUD)) and recognition of “competing health and life priorities associated with this vulnerable patient population.” did.

“We should also consider adopting innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to co-manage heart failure and MAUD, such as contingency therapy, a highly effective, evidence-based behavioral treatment for MAUD. The development of specialized heart failure clinics that also provide management is valuable, with potential for further research and scale-up,” the editorial authors wrote.

The NIS study was based on hospital records from all 50 states and recorded more than 12.8 million cardiomyopathy-related hospitalizations during the study period (59.3% were men and more than 57% were 65 years of age or older).

Of these hospitalizations, 222,727 were associated with methamphetamine users (58.5% male, over 55% aged 41-64) based on medical records. Of note, people who used methamphetamine and other drugs concomitantly were excluded from the study.

Bhuiyan’s group acknowledged that the study lacked individual-level data and post-discharge information. The authors also weren’t sure how people came to be diagnosed as methamphetamine users.

“Further research is warranted to identify high-risk populations and develop strategies to prevent and reduce CVD in methamphetamine users,” the researchers called.