A joint research article by Chapidze Emergency Cardiology Center and Caucasus University has been published in the international peer-reviewed journal International Journal of the Cardiovascular Academy. The article “Amphetamine-type Stimulant-induced Cardiomyopathy with Reversible Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Case Report,” is indexed in the international scientific database Scopus.
The authors of the paper are Tamaz Kheladze, Vache Shiolashvili, Mariam Lomidze, Nana Ginjinashvili, and Tengiz Verulava .
Article link.
The journal International Journal of the Cardiovascular Academy is indexed in the international scientific database Scopus.
The study was conducted within the framework of cooperation between Caucasus University and Academician G. Chapidze Emergency Cardiology Center. The two institutions have collaborated for many years on joint scientific and research projects, reflecting a strong and sustained partnership in clinical research and academic activity.
Summary
The article presents the case of a 24-year-old male patient who was admitted to the clinic with signs of severe decompensated heart failure. The patient had markedly reduced left ventricular function, with an ejection fraction of 14-21%.
Comprehensive diagnostic assessment, including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), helped exclude other possible causes of cardiomyopathy. Importantly, CMR revealed no evidence of myocardial fibrosis or necrosis, indicating the potential for full recovery of cardiac function.
The patient received guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure, combined with the complete cessation of psychoactive substance use. During a 12-month follow-up period, the patient demonstrated remarkable cardiac recovery: left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 21% to 50%, while the dimensions of the cardiac chambers returned to normal.
The case highlights that amphetamine-type stimulant-induced cardiomyopathy should be considered in young patients presenting with unexplained heart failure. Early diagnosis, discontinuation of stimulant use, and a multidisciplinary medical approach may enable significant, and potentially complete, recovery of cardiac function.
This publication makes an important contribution to research on stimulant-induced cardiotoxicity and presents a successful strategy for clinical management in such cases.
