Stroke Victims Slamming Meth: What's The Risk?

Methamphetamine, also known as meth, is a highly addictive and potent central nervous system stimulant that is abused for recreational purposes. It is consumed by inhalation, injection, or smoking. Methamphetamine use can lead to a stroke, which is a severe potential complication. Methamphetamine use can cause a stroke by elevating blood pressure, causing vasculitis, or inducing other vascular toxicity. Methamphetamine use can also lead to a stroke by causing an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and damage to the blood vessels in the brain. Methamphetamine-related strokes are more common in young people and men. The risk of death is higher after a hemorrhagic stroke, which is a type of stroke caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. The standard treatment for acute stroke and secondary stroke prevention seems appropriate for meth-associated strokes, along with abstinence from continued meth use.

The effects of meth on the brain

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive, lab-made stimulant that can be inhaled, injected, snorted, or smoked. Its use can lead to a range of severe negative health effects, including stroke.

The drug works by producing an immediate and intense "rush" or euphoria, as well as increased wakefulness, confidence, energy, and sex drive. This is achieved by causing a massive release of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, among others.

However, the use of methamphetamine has been associated with a range of harmful effects on the brain and central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is composed of the brain and spinal cord and is involved in nearly every bodily function.

• Increased neuronal death: Chronic meth use can lead to diffuse brain damage by causing neuronal death in various areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, striatum, parietal cortex, frontal and prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebellum. The CNS has limited ability to regenerate these neurons.
• Decreased gliogenesis: Methamphetamine use damages and kills glial cells, which have important functions such as signaling, fighting infection, and developing myelin. It also decreases the production of glial progenitor cells.
• Decreased white matter: Damage to certain glial cells and reduced myelin production leads to decreased white matter in the CNS. This affects the efficiency of signaling between neurons.
• Decreased levels of dopamine and serotonin transporters: Dopamine and serotonin transporters are specialized cells that remove these neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft and bring them back into the neuron for reuse. Meth use interferes with this process, leading to later depletion of dopamine and serotonin, which can result in extreme mood swings.
• Increased glutamate and calcium in the brain: Increases in the neurotransmitter glutamate and calcium are associated with neurotoxic effects, as neurons become overly excited and continue firing, potentially damaging the system.
• Neurotoxic effects on dendrites: Meth use causes neurotoxic damage to the dendrites of neurons, impairing their ability to communicate effectively and affecting cognitive and motor functions.
• Damage to the circulatory system of the brain: Meth use increases blood pressure and weakens veins and arteries, making them more susceptible to clots and scarring. This increases the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, which can have permanent effects.
• Traumatic brain injuries: Individuals who use meth are at higher risk of accidents or assaults that lead to traumatic brain injuries, compounding the neurological issues caused by the drug.

While some of the effects of meth on the brain may resolve with abstinence, there is significant individual variability in the recovery process, depending on the severity and duration of meth use.

The effects of meth on the heart

The stimulant drug methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, can have a range of harmful effects on the heart. It increases catecholamine activity in the peripheral nervous system, which modulates heart rate and blood pressure. This causes a range of issues, including:

• Narrowing and spasms in the blood vessels
• Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Possible death of heart muscle
• Formation of fibrous tissue
• Increase in the size of heart muscle cells

The most commonly reported adverse cardiovascular effects of meth use are chest pain, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, shortness of breath, and high blood pressure. More severe acute cardiovascular complications include acute myocardial infarction, acute aortic dissection, and sudden cardiac death.

Meth use is associated with a 32% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to non-users. Cardiovascular disease is the second-leading cause of death among crystal meth users, following accidental overdose.

The risk of cardiovascular complications may be higher with patterns of frequent and high-dose use, such as injecting and smoking crystalline methamphetamine. Combining meth with other drugs, such as alcohol, cocaine, or opiates, can also increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.

The physical effects of methamphetamine are produced by its chemical action on the body. Smoking or injecting the drug triggers an immediate physiological process that elicits an unusually elevated blood concentration of dopamine and other stimulant neurotransmitters. This excessive concentration of natural chemicals alters a user's heartbeat and blood pressure, while also speeding up their breathing and producing dizziness, sweating, and an elevated body temperature.

Even if a crystal meth user manages to quit, the damage to their heart and other organs may be irreversible.

The effects of meth on the body's dopamine levels

Dopamine is a natural chemical in the brain that is involved in body movement, motivation, and reinforcing rewarding behaviours. When someone uses meth, the drug triggers an immediate physiological process that elicits an unusually elevated blood concentration of dopamine. This results in a temporary sense of heightened euphoria, alertness, and energy.

However, the body normally produces just enough dopamine to maintain life-sustaining actions, such as steady breathing and stable heart and brain function. Therefore, the excessive concentration of dopamine during methamphetamine use can lead to dizziness, sweating, and an elevated body temperature.

Meth use also slows down the body's natural production of dopamine. This results in a relative scarcity of the chemical when not taking meth, leading to feelings of depression, sleepiness, and lack of energy.

In addition, meth use can cause permanent damage to the brain, including the dopamine transporter system. This can lead to long-term issues with mood, attention, judgment, problem-solving, memory, and motor functions.

The effects of meth on the body's serotonin levels

Methamphetamine (meth) is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant. Its use can lead to a stroke, which is caused by a diminished blood supply to the brain. This can be brought about by extreme alterations of blood flow, heart rhythm, or blood pressure, which are typical results of methamphetamine use.

Methamphetamine use increases the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This leads to a number of euphoric effects, such as increased energy and feelings of invulnerability. However, the use of methamphetamine is also associated with later dopamine and serotonin depletion, which can result in extreme mood effects, such as periods of depression, apathy, and hopelessness.

The use of methamphetamine has been associated with increased damage and death of glial cells in the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in attention, planning, abstract thinking, and judgment. Methamphetamine use is also associated with a decrease in the production of glial progenitor cells.

The use of methamphetamine also affects the veins, arteries, and capillaries in the central nervous system. It can lead to increased blood pressure, weakened veins and arteries, and an increased potential for blood clots. This can result in ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes. Ischemic strokes occur due to a depletion of blood to certain areas of the brain, while hemorrhagic strokes occur when an artery or vein in the brain breaks, leading to reduced blood flow to the brain tissues.

The effects of meth on the body's norepinephrine levels

Methamphetamine (meth) is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant that can be inhaled, injected, or smoked. The mechanism of action of the drug is similar to other stimulants, in that meth use results in massive releases of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. These neurotransmitters lead to a number of extremely powerful euphoric effects, increases in energy, feelings of invulnerability, and other psychoactive effects.

Methamphetamine use is associated with decreases in the number of neurons in the central nervous system. The central nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord and serves as the major relay station for the body and is involved in the actions, regulation, and maintenance of nearly every bodily function. The use of methamphetamine has also been associated with increased damage and death to glial cells in a number of brain areas, particularly in the prefrontal cortex where a number of important functions, such as attention, planning, abstract thinking, and judgment, occur.

Methamphetamine use also affects the veins, arteries, and capillaries in the central nervous system via issues associated with increased blood pressure, weakening veins and arteries, leaving them open to clots, and scarring them. This results in an increased potential for an individual to have a stroke.

The support system in the cells is also damaged by the use of methamphetamine. This can result in cellular collapse if the support structures are significantly damaged.

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