Pulmonary Effects of Meth

Methamphetamine use can have a variety of negative effects on lung health, including:

• Lung inflammation
• Abnormalities in lung morphology and function
• Increased risk of lung infections
• Worsened existing lung conditions, such as COPD and asthma

The exact mechanisms by which methamphetamine damages the lungs are not fully understood, but it is thought to involve the following:

• Accumulation of methamphetamine in the lungs
• Effects on the innate and adaptive immune systems
• Production of toxic molecules (free radicals) and oxidative stress

Nursing implications:

• Potential lung complications of methamphetamine use include, shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing.
• Nurses should educate patients about the risks of methamphetamine use and encourage them to seek treatment if they are using the drug.
• Tsai et al. reported higher rates of concurrent diagnoses of community-acquired pneumonia and acute respiratory failure among men and women, and acute COPD exacerbation among women when compared with those with no methamphetamine use diagnosis.

Reference

Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). (2020, May). Methamphetamine, the respiratory system and COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2020-05/CCSA-COVID-19-Methamphetamine-Respiratory-System-Report-2020-en_0.pdf

Tsai, H., Lee, J., Hedlin, H., Zamanian, R. T., & de Jesus Perez, V. A. (2019). Methamphetamine use association with pulmonary diseases: a retrospective investigation of hospital discharges in California from 2005 to 2011. ERJ open research, 5(4), 00017-2019. https://doi.org/10.1183/23120541.00017-2019