Toxic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Recognizing a Potentially Reversible Disease

The use of illicit drugs has increased in recent years1. Related to this increase, there is a growing need to recognise and properly treat the adverse effects associated with the consumption of these drugs. These substances can induce several cardiovascular (CV) complications, being this acute or chronic1. Some of them are the ischemic and arrhythmic events, the development of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and the left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). There are several types of drugs with different pharmacological and pathophysiological properties, and synergism is described between them1. Among these, cocaine and heroin stand out. The key to a successful intervention towards one of these adverse effects is the high index of suspicion and early intervention.