Regional Variation in Methamphetamine-associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Who'd Better Call Saul?

• Published in: Annals of the American Thoracic Society Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 584 - 585
• Main Authors: Prohaska, Clare C, Machado, Roberto F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Thoracic Society 01-04-2021
• Subjects: Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary - chemically induced; Medical diagnosis; Methamphetamine; Methamphetamine - adverse effects; Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension; Pulmonary arteries; Pulmonary hypertension; Registries; Side effects
• ISSN: 2329-6933; 2325-6621
• DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202011-1415ED

Prohaska and Machado discuss regional variation in methamphetamine-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. Amphetamine use is prevalent, both worldwide and in the US; it is estimated that approximately 27 million people, or 0.5% of the global adult population, as well as 2.3% of Americans between 15 and 64 reported amphetamine use (amphetamine, methamphetamine, or pharmaceutical stimulants) in the past year. The development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was tied to stimulant use as early as the 1960s. Within 2 years of the introduction of aminorex fumarate, a novel weight-loss medication, rates of patients developing PAH significantly increased.