Cardiovascular Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Annals of Internal Medicine December 19, 2000 Steven J. Lester, Matthew J. Baggott, Susette Welm et al. 140 citations
A modest oral dose of MDMA (1.5 mg/kg) increases heart rate by 28 beats per minute, systolic blood pressure by 25 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure by 7 mm Hg, and cardiac output by 2 L per minute in healthy adults who have used the drug before. These cardiovascular effects are similar to those of the heart stimulant dobutamine at doses of 20 to 40 micrograms per kilogram per minute. Unlike dobutamine, MDMA shows no measurable effect on the heart's pumping strength (inotropism). The findings suggest that even moderate MDMA use raises myocardial oxygen demand without enhancing the heart's contractile force.