Usefulness of Left Ventricular Assist Device in the Recovery of Severe Amphetamine-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Exposure to synthetic drugs such as amphetamines may lead to significant consequences on the cardiovascular system. The prognosis of young adults with amphetamine-induced cardiomyopathy remains poor. We present 2 young patients (aged <40 years) who developed severe dilated cardiomyopathy after chronic amphetamine use. Thorough psychological evaluations demonstrated favorable features with patients being reliable and committed to their health problems. A left ventricular assist device (HeartMate II; Abbott, Chicago, IL) was implanted in the patients shortly after admission to optimize hemodynamic support and evaluate the potential for recovery. Within less than 1 year, significant improvement was achieved and successful explantation of left ventricular assist device was performed in both patients.