Meth And Kidney Failure: Causes, Risks, And Treatment - Healthline

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Key takeaways

Methamphetamine use may lead to kidney failure, where the kidneys are unable to effectively remove waste, potentially causing long-term health issues or death if untreated.
Besides kidney failure, meth use may cause short-term risks like increased activity, reduced sleep, rapid heart rate, and long-term risks such as organ damage, heart attack, stroke, cognitive changes, and infections.
Treatment for meth-related renal failure involves managing kidney damage with interventions like dialysis or transplant and addressing substance use disorder with therapy and motivational incentives.

Methamphetamine, often abbreviated as “meth,” is a stimulant drug that can cause dependence. Meth primarily impacts the central nervous system (CNS), raising blood pressure and heart rate. The drug impacts your brain by increasing dopamine.

Meth can also cause kidney (renal) failure, a life threatening complication in which your kidneys can’t effectively process waste from your bloodstream. Kidney failure can lead to long-term health complications, including kidney disease and death, if not promptly treated.

Read on to learn more about what the research says regarding meth and renal failure, other health risks from meth use, and how to seek treatment for a substance use disorder (SUD).

Other names for meth
Meth has a variety of street names, including speed, ice, and crank.

Meth’s impact on your kidneys

Both prescription and illegal drugs can have nephrotoxic effects, meaning they can damage the kidneys. Meth is one such substance that can cause nephrotoxicity, leading to possible kidney failure.

Having renal failure means your kidneys can no longer function as they should. This leads to a dangerous buildup of wastes in the body that can become life threatening.

Renal failure may be either chronic (long term) or acute (sudden). Nephrotoxicity associated with drugs, such as meth, is a common cause of acute renal failure.

Acute renal failure from meth use may be linked specifically to the following kidney-related problems:

Renal tubular necrosis: A reduction in blood flow to the kidneys and is considered the most common cause of acute kidney injury.
Acute interstitial nephritis: A disorder that damages the small tubes (tubules) inside your kidneys, reducing their overall ability to filter waste.
Angiitis. Causes inflammation in your blood vessels.
Rhabdomyolysis. A serious health condition in which muscle fibers break down and release proteins that damage both the kidneys and the heart.

Other health risks

Renal failure is only one of many negative health implications of meth, and this risk is associated with short-term and long-term drug use.

Short-term effects

Some of the short-term risks of meth use include:

increased body movements and overall physical activity
decreased sleep and increased wakefulness
an increased, rapid heart rate
faster breathing
higher blood pressure
increased body temperature
reduced appetite

Meth, as with other stimulants, affects dopamine in the brain. Dopamine reinforces pleasurable sensations and experiences, encouraging us to repeat them.

Dopamine’s role in addiction is still being studied, but experts believe it plays a key role in the chemical processes of addiction and the development of SUD.

Even in small amounts, meth can significantly and quickly increase dopamine levels. This can impact the “rewards” system in the brain, fostering an addiction to the substance.

Long-term use

In the long term, meth also poses severe health risks, including:

damage to organs, such as your kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain
heart attack
stroke
anxiety
cognitive changes, including problems with memory and confusion
impaired learning and coordination
dental problems
skin sores from chronic itchiness and scratching
sleep disorders, such as insomnia
significant weight loss
hallucinations
paranoia
violent behavior
premature osteoporosis

Also, injectable meth may increase your long-term risk of contracting serious infections. These include hepatitis types B and C, as well as HIV.

Learn more about the connection between IV drug use and viral infections like HCV.

Recognizing an emergency

A meth overdose is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. Not only does meth overdose increase the risk of organ failure, including the kidneys, but it may also result in heart attack, stroke, or death.

Possible signs of a meth overdose include:

high blood pressure
rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
severe abdominal pain
chest pain
difficulty breathing
delusions

It’s important to seek emergency medical help if you or anyone you know may be experiencing a meth overdose so it can be managed in a hospital. Prompt treatment may also reduce the risk of further health consequences.

In addition to the above symptoms of a meth use emergency, signs of kidney failure may include:

nausea or vomiting
reduced appetite
increased urination
urine that is bubbly or frothy-looking
bloody or dark urine
extremely itchy skin
breathing difficulties
muscle cramps
insomnia
swelling in your legs or feet (edema)

An acute kidney injury may induce kidney failure in as little as 2 days. It’s essential not to assume these symptoms will resolve on their own. Blood, urine, and certain imaging tests can rule out kidney involvement due to drug use or another medical condition.

Not everyone who uses meth or experiences a meth overdose will have kidney failure, but it is a risk. Using meth is never safe for your body as a whole and can cause wide-ranging health complications.

Treatment

Treatment for meth use and renal failure is twofold: treatment for kidney damage and treatment for a SUD. If the underlying cause of your kidney failure isn’t addressed, the health crisis may repeat or cause even worse effects.

SUD treatment

Currently, there are medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat meth-related SUD. But for more moderate to severe meth use cases, a doctor may prescribe naltrexone, sometimes used for alcohol use disorder, or bupropion, an antidepressant.

As methamphetamine targets dopamine, a doctor may refer you to a therapist who may implement therapy techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

This talk therapy helps you work through harmful cycles of thinking and behavior. CBT helps you develop coping techniques to stressors and regulate emotions in healthy, productive ways

Another treatment option to deter drug use may involve external motivational incentives, such as money, vouchers, or other rewards. The idea behind this approach is to replace the “reward” your brain may experience with meth use with safer incentives to reduce the drug’s appeal.

Learn more about what to expect from meth cessation therapy and treatment.

Kidney treatment

A suspected acute kidney problem related to meth should be addressed immediately to prevent renal failure.

In cases of severe kidney failure, a doctor may use the following treatment approaches:

hemodialysis (being connected to a machine that filters waste from your blood)
management of any chronic complications with medication
kidney transplant

Outlook

Meth is a drug that causes severe health complications and the risk of overdose.

Due to its toxic effects on the kidneys, meth can cause renal failure, meaning your kidneys can’t effectively clear waste from the bloodstream. Untreated, renal failure may create permanent kidney damage or lead to death.

If you suspect symptoms of a meth overdose or kidney failure, it’s important to seek emergency medical help immediately. A doctor may be able to prevent more severe health complications from developing.

In addition to kidney treatment, a doctor may also help refer you to a therapist for help with SUD. You can use the Healthline FindCare tool or SAMHSA’s resource locator to search for mental health professionals and SUD support options in your area.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bindroo S, et al. (2022). Renal failure.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519012/
Interstitial nephritis. (2020).https://familydoctor.org/condition/interstitial-nephritis/?adfree=true
Kidney failure (ESRD): Symptoms. (n.d.)https://www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/kidney-failure-symptoms-and-causes#what-are-the-symptoms-of-kidney-failure
Know the risks of meth. (2022).https://www.samhsa.gov/meth
Methamphetamine drug facts. (2019).https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
Muhammad O, et al. (2022). Acute renal tubular necrosis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507815/
Pendergraft III WF, et al. (2014). Nephrotoxic effects of common and emerging drugs of abuse.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220747/
Rhabdomyolysis. (2019).https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/rhabdo/default.html
Richards JR, et al. (2022). Methamphetamine toxicity.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430895/

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Medically reviewed by Alexandra Perez, PharmD, MBA, BCGP — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on July 1, 2022

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Key takeaways

Meth’s impact on your kidneys

Other health risks

Short-term effects

Long-term use

Recognizing an emergency

Treatment

SUD treatment

Kidney treatment

Outlook

How we reviewed this article:

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