ABSTRACT
Specific diseases of the myocardium of drug abusers are rarely reported, and the true incidence of myocardial disease in this group remains unknown. The absence of myocardial disease among drug abusers is probably more apparent than real. Many pathologists still do not recognize modest degrees of hypertrophy as representing disease. Another confounder preventing accurate estimation of myocardial disease in drug abusers is that observed frequency of any particular myocardial lesion depends upon the population being studied, and the drugs that they use. Patterns of drug abuse have changed a great deal over the last decade. It is likely that the type of lesions encountered has changed as well.
