Expression of heat shock proteins 27, 60, and 70 in amphetamine and cocaine associated deaths.

Introduction: The hearts of amphetamine and cocaine users demonstrate essentially the same microscopic features: hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis, myocyte hypertrophy and intimal and medial hyperplasia. According to Karch (2016), some investigations suggest that amphetamines have properties that make users less likely to experience myocardial infarction than cocaine users. The exposure to amphetamine is associated with the production of heat shock proteins (HSP) whereas cocaine is not.