A large US claims-based study has shed light on a worrying trend: pulmonary arterial hypertension linked to methamphetamine use (Meth-APAH) is rising fast — up 93% between 2018 and 2022, a rate disproportionate to the general rise in methamphetamine use itself.
Compared to other pulmonary arterial hypertension patients, those with Meth-APAH tend to be younger, more often male, Medicaid-insured, and concentrated in the Western United States. They are more frequently prescribed intensive dual or triple therapy, yet show lower treatment adherence — a combination that points to the complex challenges this population faces.
The authors call for greater national awareness, better routine screening, treatments that address both pulmonary arterial hypertension and addiction, and improved documentation of methamphetamine use in medical records to ensure these patients get the care they need.
Citation
Kim NH, Perez VJ, Kingrey J, David Hardy W, Ryan JJ, Tan G, Lopez D, Adhia A, Gearhart N, Lam J, Sandros M, Cho M, Channick R. Methamphetamine-associated PAH on the Rise in the US: Geographic Trends & Disparities in Patient Demographics and Treatment Strategies. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2026 Mar 5:S1053-2498(26)01736-5. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2026.02.1678. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41794199.
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