Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics Associated with Cardiac Dysrhythmia among Methamphetamine Psychosis Patients at Regional Health 8

Abstract

Background: Methamphetamine use is associated with substantial cardiovascular morbidity, and risk may be amplified in patients presenting with methamphetamine-induced psychosis. Epidemiological evidence in this high-risk inpatient population remains limited.

 Objective: To estimate the prevalence of early inpatient cardiac dysrhythmia and identify clinical factors associated with dysrhythmia among patients with methamphetamine-induced psychosis in Health Region 8, Thailand, to inform regional policy recommendations.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional review of inpatient records for individuals diagnosed with methamphetamine-induced psychosis (ICD-10: F15.5) at Nakhon Phanom Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital. Among 1,754 admissions from October 2024 to July 2025, 270 eligible patients were selected using consecutive sampling. Analyses used descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and the Mann–Whitney U test.

Results: Cardiac dysrhythmia within the first 7 days of admission-defined as heart rate <60 or >100 beats/min on at least two consecutive measurements-occurred in 15.39% of patients. Factors significantly associated with dysrhythmia included time to onset of abnormal heart rate after admission, receipt of long-acting injectable antipsychotics, antipsychotic class, and the presence of hemodynamically unstable dysrhythmia (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Close monitoring of pulse rate and vital signs is warranted during the first week of inpatient care for methamphetamine-induced psychosis. These findings support a regional policy to implement routine 12-lead ECG screening at admission to mitigate severe cardiovascular complications.