An unusual cause of breathlessness in a young man.

Full Abstract

Amphetamine abuse is a common problem in the developed world. Cardiomyopathy secondary to amphetamine abuse is rare in the general population. The present report describes a 34-year-old man who presented with shortness of breath. Following further investigations, the cause of his breathlessness was determined to be amphetamine abuse. The incidence of amphetamine abuse and its cardiac sequelae are reviewed. The mechanism of amphetamine-induced dilated cardiomyopathy is analyzed, with further review of its complications and treatment.

Author information

Author/s: Innasimuthu, Antony Leslie (AL); Sankarnarayanan, Rajiv (R); Rao, Gopala Krishna B (GK); Hornung, Rob S (RS);

Affiliation: Department f Cardiology, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, United Kingdom. antonyleslie(-atsign-)yahoo.co.in

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article

Journal: The Canadian journal of cardiology (Can J Cardiol), published in Canada. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jun; vol 25 (issue 6) : pp 369-71

Dates: Created 2009/06/18; Completed 2009/07/09; Revised 2009/08/10;

PMID: 19536382, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/21/2009, IMS Date: )

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