title: Intravenous Heroin Abuse and Acute Myocardial Infarction: Forensic Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate chronic intravenous heroin abuse and its potential to induce acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It also aims to examine the causative factors and the incidence of heroin-induced myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hearts of 113 intravenous heroin abusers were studied for a duration exceeding 3 years. The parameters studied included sex, age, time of intravenous heroin abuse, medical history, and body and heart weight. Macroscopic histological studies of the heart were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The histological examination revealed only 1 case of AMI. The victim was an intravenous heroin abuser for the last 7 years. The age and the medical history of the victim do not act as dissuading factors for the potential of an AMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of heroin-induced myocardial infarction is rare, and the actual mechanism remains unclear. The increased heart weight in relation to the increased thickness of the heart walls may be an aggravating factor, and thus, it is a fact that should be investigated.
authors.affiliation: From the Laboratories of *Forensic Sciences, †Histology-Embryology, ‡Nuclear Medicine, and §Physiology, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: Theodora-Eleftheria
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Deftereou
authors.forename: Maria-Valeria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Karakasi
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zissimopoulos
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pagonopoulou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambropoulou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D009929:Organ Size; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*