Health - Effects on the heart and a few concerns

[Lettish]

Swim will be using ecstasy soon. It will not be his first time, in fact, Swim is a fairly experienced user, and has used ecstasy more than a dozen times in the last few years.

Swim is not particularly fit. Swim understands ecstasy puts strain on the heart, and Swim's cardiac fitness is not exactly the best; he gets a stitch if walking too fast for a few minutes.

Swim's main question is, is there any solid evidence of a connection between ecstasy causing cardiac arrest (heart attack)? Can this happen? What are the chances of it happening? Over the next few weeks (before Swim uses ecstasy) how can he increase his cardiac fitness so that his heart is a bit more prepared and can handle the increased strain on it?

[KomodoMK]

I don't ever recall of hearing a case of heart attack or cardiac arrest bought on by use of MDMA. That doesn't mean to say it's not happened but in my opinion is very unlikely.

Running is a great way to improve your cardiac fitness, cycling would be a good second option. My little fishy doesn't really do much cardiac exercise (except walking) but does go to the gym to weight train, which keeps the body fat down and thus improves cardiac fitness somewhat.

[RaverHippie]

yeah cardiovascular fitness is done by running pretty much, or jumprope things like that. As far as heartstrain afaik the adulterants in ecstasy make it more harmful on the heart than MDMA (speed caffeine etc). MDMA itself isn't very hard on the heart from what I've read, but it's unlikely that a chemically pure product could be procured. (love alliteration)

[Fantasian]

MDMA use combined with dancing puts a little strain on the heart just as much as some heavy exercise but not really enough to induce a cardiac arrest unless it's taken in heroic dosages or if there is an existing heart problem. Out of all the dangers of use of MDMA this would rank quite low, overheating, adulterants, over consumption of water and environmental factors would be much more of my worries if i were ever to take the drug. SWIF has only ever had problems with MDMA/E linked to heart issues when he has combined it with speed, cocaine or caffeine, all of which significantly increase the users heartrate, in a synergy kind of effect when used together.

[Synesthesiac]

Originally Posted by Lettish

Swim is not particularly fit. Swim understands ecstasy puts strain on the heart, and Swim's cardiac fitness is not exactly the best; he gets a stitch if walking too fast for a few minutes.

There is very little to worry about in relation to the heart at normal levels on x. If your concerned about your heart, dont take pills, get pure mdma and have standard dose of that (100mg [+50]), some pills will be combined with speed which will increase heart rate.

[Metomni]

Go swimming. It's much easier on the body and joints than running, it works more muscle groups, it will get your cardio up faster, and it's much more fun.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good idea

[Lettish]

Originally Posted by Metomni

Go swimming. It's much easier on the body and joints than running, it works more muscle groups, it will get your cardio up faster, and it's much more fun.

Swim should definitely take this up again. I will pass comments on to Swim and I'm sure he will be thankful of the replies.