Sonali Phogat death: How meth might have caused heart failure

The drug seized in relation to the murder case of BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat has been identified as Methamphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant used as a recreational drug and therapy for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
The 41-year-old died on August 23 while on a shoot in Goa after suffering from a heart attack, earlier thought to be triggered blunt injuries.
A senior forensics expert, who did not want to be named, said that the heart attack could also have been triggered methamphetamine consumption. “Methamphetamine on its own might not cause the heart attack but it can result in a cardiac arrest if consumed in an excess quantity. The recreational drug can lead to over sedation, which can affect the organs, including the heart.”
Police said the accused, Sudhir Sangvan and Sukhwinder Singh, “intentionally gave the victim an obnoxious chemical substance in a liquid” hours before she died on Tuesday morning. The expert said that the drug can be given in the form of a tablet, which may be mixed in a drink.
Last year, the American Heart Association journal, Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, had done a study on how Meth hurts the heart. “Our study results should bring urgent attention to this insidious yet rapidly growing form of severe heart failure – methamphetamine-related heart failure, which is taking the lives of young people…..the problem has been made drastically worse in recent years the increase in purer, more potent methamphetamine throughout our communities. Methamphetamine, also known as meth, is an addictive stimulant that can affect the cardiovascular system triggering blood vessel spasms and life-threatening spikes in blood pressure. It can also increase plaque in the arteries and rewire the heart’s electrical system. Prolonged methamphetamine use has been associated with a severe form of dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the weakened heart muscle becomes enlarged and cannot pump adequate blood.”