Cardio-oncology & otherResearch article
Cardiovascular Conditions and Symptoms in Deaths Attributed to Acute Stimulant Toxicity
- psychological autopsy
- mixed-methods interviews with informants
- qualitative thematic analyses
Authors' conclusion
Premortem cardiovascular conditions and symptoms were common among stimulant decedents and were more prevalent among deaths attributed to stimulants without opioids compared with those involving fentanyl. In addition to opioid overdose prevention efforts, people who use stimulants might benefit from aggressive prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Study context
- Population
- Deaths attributed to acute stimulant (methamphetamine or cocaine) toxicity in San Francisco from 2022 to 2023stimulants without opioids 70 · also involved fentanyl 31
- Participants
- 101 deaths
- Comparison
- sociodemographic characteristics and cardiovascular measures (autopsy, ECG, echocardiogram, or laboratory abnormalities; diagnoses; acute care visits; symptoms) by fentanyl involvement
- stimulant without opioidsn = 70
- fentanyl-involvedn = 31
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Median age at death
Further findings
Cardiovascular conditions identified in records
Symptoms reported by informants
- Cardiovascular conditions identified in records: P <0.01
- Symptoms reported by informants: P =0.02
Race and housing
- White
- 44%
- Black
- 36%
- unhoused or marginally housed
- 69%
Specific conditions more prevalent among stimulant without opioid decedents
- cardiac enlargement
- P = 0.04
- coronary artery disease
- P = 0.01
- prolonged QTc interval
- P = 0.03
- hypertension
- P = 0.02
Themes from informant interviews
- informant interviews
- 140
- family history of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular symptoms, comorbid conditions, reluctance to seek care, and poor health contributing to social isolation
Original publication
Cardiovascular Conditions and Symptoms in Deaths Attributed to Acute Stimulant Toxicity. Circ Popul Health Outcomes. Published 27 March 2026. doi:10.1161/circoutcomes.125.012683
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it