Cardiovascular effects of adolescent drug abuse.

Adolescent drug abuse has been shown to be highly prevalent. Similarly, chest pain is a frequent complaint among adolescents. The cardiovascular effects of adolescent drug abuse, however, are infrequently considered. We present a case report of a 17-year-old drug abuser who presented with a myocardial infarction. The potential cardiovascular complications of the commonly abused drugs are discussed. When dealing with an adolescent with potential cardiovascular symptoms, we stress an awareness of the potential cardiovascular effects of drug abuse and that such cardiovascular effects are not unique to the habitual or intravenous drug abuser.