Concomitant medications associated with ischemic, hypertensive, and arrhythmic events in MDMA users in FDA adverse event reporting system
Frontiers in Psychiatry May 18, 2023 Tigran Makunts, Diane Dahill, Lisa Jerome et al. 6 citations
MDMA is being tested as a treatment aid for PTSD and anxiety disorders, and regulatory approval is expected soon. Its main effects involve increasing serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine activity, which can raise heart rate and blood pressure. Clinical trials have limited data on cardiac side effects due to small participant numbers and restricted use of other drugs. An analysis of FDA adverse event reports found 17 cardiovascular cases where people took MDMA plus other substances. All accompanying drugs—opioids, stimulants, anticholinergics, and amphetamines—are already linked to heart problems. In none of these reports was MDMA considered the primary cause.