Recognizing and Responding to Meth Overdose

Symptoms of a meth overdose include a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and high body temperature. These symptoms can cause serious health emergencies such as a heart attack, stroke, or seizure. If you suspect someone is experiencing a meth overdose, call 911 immediately; without emergency medical attention, there is a high risk of death.

Why Meth Overdose Happens

A meth overdose can happen when the stimulant effects of methamphetamine overwhelm the body. Meth can raise heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, alertness, and physical activity.[1] When these effects become too intense, the body may not be able to regulate itself safely, increasing the risk of medical emergencies such as seizure, stroke, heart attack, overheating, severe agitation, psychosis, or loss of consciousness.

Overdose risk may increase when someone uses a large amount of meth, uses repeatedly over a short period of time, stays awake for long periods, becomes dehydrated, or combines meth with other substances. Using meth with opioids, alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other drugs can make the situation more unpredictable and may complicate emergency response.

Meth overdose should always be treated as a medical emergency. A person may look extremely agitated, confused, overheated, paranoid, or physically distressed. They may also have chest pain, trouble breathing, seizures, or symptoms that come and go. If a meth overdose is suspected, call 911 immediately.

Signs of a Methamphetamine Overdose

Meth can have some serious side effects that require immediate medical attention.[2] These dangerous side effects are also considered meth overdose symptoms. They include:

• Cardiovascular problems: chest pain, fast heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, difficulties breathing, numbness, cold extremities, skin color changes in extremities (blue fingers or toes), heart attack or stroke
• Psychosis: hallucinations, behavior changes, aggression, paranoia
• Seizure
• Hyperthermia: high body temperature
• Muscle twitches
• Vision changes, including enlarged pupils

Responding to a Methamphetamine Overdose

If you believe someone has overdosed on meth, they require medical attention immediately. A meth overdose can be life-threatening. Call 911.

While you are waiting for emergency medical help, be cautious around the person if they appear paranoid or are experiencing delusions or hallucinations.

If the person is experiencing a seizure, protect their head by placing something soft under it. Position them on their side to keep the airway clear and help prevent choking if they vomit. Do not restrain them or put anything in their mouth.

Meth can raise body temperature to dangerous levels during an overdose, which can increase the risk of seizures, organ damage, or other life-threatening complications. If the person is overheated, which can include symptoms such as sweating a lot, having hot, red, or dry skin, pale, cold, clammy skin, or feeling nausea, having a headache, or confusion, help them cool down with a cold, wet towel, ice pack, sitting in front of a fan, or by sipping on cold water or suck on ice.[3]

If the person is unconscious, try to wake them by calling their name or shaking them gently. If there’s no response and you suspect an opioid co-overdose, administer naloxone (Narcan). Naloxone is ineffective against methamphetamine but can be lifesaving in cases involving opioids. While naloxone does not treat a methamphetamine overdose, many overdoses involve multiple substances; most meth overdoses include an opioid such as fentanyl.[4]

Monitor the person’s breathing and heart rate. If they stop breathing, you can provide rescue breathing. If their heart is not beating, begin CPR.

Treatment of Methamphetamine Overdose

Emergency room healthcare providers will monitor the person’s heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and temperature and treat their symptoms as required. Common treatments include:[5]

• Activated charcoal and laxatives: If the methamphetamine was taken orally
• Blood and urine tests
• Breathing support: This may involve providing oxygen or a breathing machine if the person cannot breathe independently.
• Chest X-ray if the person has abnormal breathing or has vomited
• CT Scan, especially if a head injury is suspected.
• Electrocardiogram if the person is having heart issues.
• IV fluids: These are often used to treat pain, nausea, anxiety, agitation, seizures, and high blood pressure.
• Drug screening: People do not always report or know that they have been exposed to multiple substances. A screening gives healthcare providers an accurate understanding of what is happening with the person and what needs to be treated.
• Other medications are needed to treat muscle, heart, brain, or kidney complications from the overdose.

Post-Methamphetamine Overdose

How well a person can recover from a meth overdose depends on the amount they used and how quickly they were able to receive medical care. The quicker a person overdosing receives medical care, the greater their chances of recovery are.

A person can experience psychosis and paranoia for up to a year after an overdose or using methamphetamine, even with receiving rapid medical attention.[6] Some effects can be permanent, such as memory loss, sleeping problems, skin damage, and tooth loss. The person may also experience long-term disability if they have a heart attack or stroke. One’s kidneys can also be damaged so badly that they have kidney failure and require dialysis.

Frequently Asked Questions About Meth Overdoses