Drug use can inflict considerable damage to the heart. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize their heart has been harmed until they experience a catastrophic event such as a heart attack or heart failure. The ability to recognize the signs of heart damage from drug use can be a life-saving skill.
How Do Drugs Affect the Heart?
Virtually every type of substance abuse can have some type of negative impact on the heart. The degree of damage that occurs can depend on which drug a person uses, how much they typically use, and how long they continue to engage in this behavior.
Alcohol
Alcohol use can increase a person’s risk for several heart-related problems, including:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat)
Heavy drinking over an extended period can also lead to a potentially fatal disorder called alcoholic cardiomyopathy, or ACM. Also sometimes referred to as alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy, ACM is characterized by:
- Weakening of muscles in both the left and right ventricles, which diminishes the heart’s ability to pump blood
- Dilation (or increased opening) in the left ventricle, which can disrupt heart rate
- Enlargement of the heart
- Formation of scar tissue
The expected fatality rate from ACM can be as high as 80%, depending on factors such as the extent of a person’s alcohol abuse and their ability to quit drinking.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are a category of medications that are typically used to treat anxiety, seizures, and muscle spasms. They are also often abused for recreational purposes.
Commonly prescribed and abused benzos include alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium).
These medications slow the dissemination of messages through the central nervous system (CNS). They can also lower a person’s heart rate and respiration. Taking too many benzos can prevent the heart from functioning as it should. This risk is magnified when a person combines benzos with alcohol or opioids.
Benzo use was a factor in 10,964 overdose deaths in 2022. The vast majority of these cases involved individuals who also had opioids in their system at the time of death.
Opioids
The category of opioids includes morphine, fentanyl, heroin, and prescription painkillers such as oxycodone (OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin).
Opioids are the leading contributors to our nation’s ongoing epidemic of overdose deaths, but the damage they can cause isn’t limited to these types of fatalities. For example:
- A November 2024 study found that patients who take prescription opioids on both a short- and long-term basis have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The team that conducted this study also found that taking higher doses of opioids was associated with a higher risk of heart problems.
- Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) indicates a dramatic recent increase in cases of infective endocarditis (a potentially fatal inflammation of heart valves) among people who are addicted to cocaine or opioids. The risk of this condition appears to be particularly high among people who abuse either of these drugs via IV injection.
- According to a January 2021 review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the heart-related effects of opioid use and abuse include hypotension (dangerously low blood pressure) and bradycardia (slowed heart rate). This review also noted that opioid withdrawal can cause hypertension (elevated blood pressure), tachycardia (racing heart rate), stress cardiomyopathy (weakening of the heart muscle), and acute coronary syndrome.
Stimulants
Stimulants are a category of drugs that increase the speed of communication within the central nervous system. Substances in this category include amphetamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
Stimulants are included in prescription medications such as Adderall, Concertina, and Ritalin, all of which are typically used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stimulants are also frequently abused, both as illicit “study drugs” and solely for recreational purposes.
We mentioned one possible type of stimulant-related heart damage, infective endocarditis, in the Opioids section above. Stimulant use can also increase a person’s risk of:
- Aortic dissection (tearing in the inner layer of the aorta)
- Arrhythmia
- Cardiomyopathy
- Fibrosis (scarring of tissue in the heart)
- Heart failure
Signs of Heart Damage from Drug Use
The signs of heart damage from drug use can vary depending on factors such as:
- Which drug or drugs a person has been using
- The type and severity of damage their drug used caused
- If they have other physical or mental health concerns
Even though we typically think of heart problems from the perspective of physical health, damage to this vital organ can also affect a person’s psychological well-being.
Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms that could indicate drug-related heart damage include:
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Chest pain
- Throat, neck, or jaw pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Becoming easily exhausted
- Numbness or tingling in the arms and legs
- Swelling of the hands and feet
- Fainting
Psychological Symptoms
The signs of heart damage from drug use can also include psychological symptoms such as:
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Depression
- Confusion
- Difficulty focusing
These psychological symptoms may be effects of the physical pain or functional limitations that a person experiences when their heart has been damaged. Also, if a person’s heart is not working properly, their brain may not receive an appropriate amount of oxygen, which can negatively affect how they think and feel.
Find Treatment for Drug Addiction in Tennessee
The best way to minimize your risk of heart damage from drug use is to stop using alcohol and other dangerous substances. But if you have developed a substance use disorder (addiction), this can be extremely difficult to do on your own. Thankfully, help is available.
Nashville Treatment Solutions is a trusted provider of customized outpatient programming for adults who have been struggling with addiction. We also offer dual diagnosis treatment in Tennessee for patients whose problems with drugs are accompanied by anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring mental health concerns.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
