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What Causes Heart Palpitations After Using Crystal Methamphetamine?
Question: Dear Dr. Please don't judge. I'm guilty enough.
Here it is: I have benign Tachicardia (sp.). I'm on Cartia and and 10mg of Bystolic. Two nights ago, I got talked into doing some Crystal Meth. It started the palpations right away, but were gone by morning. My Question: Was I at high risk for sudden death? I promise never to do it again as the palpitations kept me up all night.
Here it is: I have benign Tachicardia (sp.). I'm on Cartia and and 10mg of Bystolic. Two nights ago, I got talked into doing some Crystal Meth. It started the palpations right away, but were gone by morning. My Question: Was I at high risk for sudden death? I promise never to do it again as the palpitations kept me up all night.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that Crystal Methamphetamine is a stimulator of the sympathetic nervous system, causing increased chatecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) in your blood.
It is normal to have palpitations, agitation, tachycardia and higher blood pressure values after taking this drug.
These symptoms are more prominent in sensitive persons or in persons affected by cardiac arrhythmia. It triggers cardiac arrhythmia and even transform benign cardiac arrhythmia in more harmful types of cardiac arrhythmias.
I can not say for sure if this has happened to you, as you have not performed any ECG to examine your heart rate.
But you are OK now and everything is past. This means that it was not anything dangerous. I can say this also based on the fact that you didn't faint or have any other symptoms like this.
Anyway, I would recommend avoiding this drug in the future as you are a susceptible person to cardiac arryhthmia, and this drug is known to trigger and exacerbate this disorder.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that Crystal Methamphetamine is a stimulator of the sympathetic nervous system, causing increased chatecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) in your blood.
It is normal to have palpitations, agitation, tachycardia and higher blood pressure values after taking this drug.
These symptoms are more prominent in sensitive persons or in persons affected by cardiac arrhythmia. It triggers cardiac arrhythmia and even transform benign cardiac arrhythmia in more harmful types of cardiac arrhythmias.
I can not say for sure if this has happened to you, as you have not performed any ECG to examine your heart rate.
But you are OK now and everything is past. This means that it was not anything dangerous. I can say this also based on the fact that you didn't faint or have any other symptoms like this.
Anyway, I would recommend avoiding this drug in the future as you are a susceptible person to cardiac arryhthmia, and this drug is known to trigger and exacerbate this disorder.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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