Point-of-Care Ultrasound Identifies Decompensated Heart Failure in a Young Male with Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy Presenting in Severe Sepsis to the Emergency Department

Abstract

We describe a case of a young male who presents to the emergency department with severe sepsis and decompensated heart failure with underlying Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy that was previously undiagnosed. This presentation is unique because Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy is an uncommonly reported condition that presented in a complex clinical scenario of severe sepsis and decompensated congestive heart failure. We discuss how we used point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in this case to identify an unsuspected disease process and how it changed our initial resuscitation strategy and management. Emergency physicians can utilize point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to help identify these high-risk patients in the emergency department and guide appropriate resuscitation. Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy (MAC) is an infrequently described complication of methamphetamine abuse, most commonly presented as a nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. With the rise in methamphetamine abuse in the United States, complications from methamphetamine use are more commonly presenting to the emergency department. Proper education and rehabilitation, with a goal of abstinence from amphetamine use, may allow patients to potentially regain normal cardiac function. Since the majority of patients present late with severe cardiac dysfunction, early detection is essential amongst critically ill patients since recognition may significantly influence ED management.