Methamphetamine use may be associated with nearly one in six heart attacks among patients in California. This is the conclusion of American researchers who analyzed data spanning more than ten years. The study was published in the journal of the American Heart Association.

The research was conducted at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in Northern California. Scientists reviewed medical records of 1,309 patients aged 18 to 65 who suffered heart attacks between 2012 and 2022. Methamphetamine was detected in tests or documented as used in 194 of them. As a result, it was found that about 15% of all heart attack cases — nearly one in six — were linked to methamphetamine use.

The authors note that patients who used methamphetamine differed significantly from typical cardiac patients. They were younger — with a median age of 52 compared to 57 in other patients — and more often male. At the same time, they less frequently had classic cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, obesity, or type 2 diabetes.

Despite this, outcomes after heart attacks were significantly worse in these patients. The likelihood of death after a heart attack was almost twice as high among methamphetamine users compared to others.

In addition, they were more likely to be readmitted to the hospital with a new heart attack — in 42.3% of cases, compared to much lower rates among those who did not use the drug.

Methamphetamine is a powerful synthetic central nervous system stimulant, also known as “crystal meth.” In recent decades, its use in the United States has increased significantly, especially on the West Coast. Researchers warn that as the drug spreads eastward across the country, such heart attack cases may become increasingly common outside California as well.

Scientists explain that methamphetamine can damage blood vessels, sharply raise blood pressure, and accelerate the aging of the cardiovascular system. According to experts, people who use the drug may develop heart disease about eight years earlier than the general population.