How does drug & alcohol dependence affect the circulatory system?

Drug and alcohol dependence can have major effects on your physical and mental health. The hold these substances have can be so overwhelming that you may not realize just how much they impact you until the damage to your mind and body has already started. 

The good news is that it’s possible to repair damage due to substance use disorder. Even if you’re worried about how long you’ve been dependent on drugs and/or alcohol, any harm done to your circulatory system (this includes your heart, blood vessels, and lymphatic system) doesn’t have to be permanent. With the right support, you can improve your physical health as part of your road to recovery.

Remember that your body is resilient. It isn’t designed to give up without a fight, and you don’t have to walk this journey alone. Help is available to give you the tools you need to help your body and mind recover from the effects of dependency. 

Continue reading to learn more about how drugs and alcohol affect your circulation and why beginning a recovery program can be the most important decision you make for your heart and well-being. 

How substance use dependency impacts the circulatory system

Your circulatory system is made up of both your blood vessels and your heart, which pumps blood throughout your body. Without this system, your organs and other parts of the body wouldn’t receive the oxygen and nutrient-rich blood they need to keep going.

Drugs, including opioids, increase your blood pressure and cause your heart rate to spike. Over time, this makes your blood vessels and heart valves weaker. (Later on, we’ll also answer the question: “How does alcohol affect the circulatory system?”)

Substance use disorder’s effects on the human body systems can be serious. These substances impact blood vessels by weakening their lining. If substances like opioids are injected into the body, they can also cause your veins to collapse. Drugs also constrict or dilate blood vessels, which can make blood pressure issues worse. 

These substances can put a serious strain on your heart. In turn, this impacts how hard your other vital organs (like your lungs) have to work and can prevent them from functioning correctly. They can also cause inflammation and increase the risk of developing blood clots. Stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine can be particularly harmful because they are more likely to cause heart attacks and “electrical storms,” which happen when you have three or more life-threatening episodes of irregular heartbeats within 24 hours.

How drugs and alcohol affect your heart and blood flow

Alcohol dependence can seriously hurt your heart’s health and ability to work correctly. But it’s not just alcohol that can affect your heart. Many drugs can, too. Whether taken recreationally or misused over time, certain substances can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.

How drugs affect your heart

Different drugs affect your heart and blood flow in different ways. Many can put a dangerous strain on your cardiovascular system. 

For instance, stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine can:

• Speed up your heart rate, causing heart palpitations.
• Trigger arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), which can also take a toll on your heart health over time.
• Narrow your blood vessels, which can raise your blood pressure and make it harder for blood to pump to your brain and vital organs.
  

When used long-term, stimulants can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, or chronic high blood pressure. 

Opioids, on the other hand, can affect your cardiovascular system in a different, but no less negative way. These substances can:

• Slow down your heart rate and breathing, potentially leading to oxygen deprivation. In turn, this can affect how your brain functions and processes information. 
• Lead to dangerously low blood pressure. Low blood pressure can cause you to faint, feel exhausted, and even contribute to organ damage over time. 
  

Beyond these health concerns, opioid use can even cause cardiac arrest during an accidental overdose. Over time, drug misuse can make it harder for your heart to pump effectively. In turn, this can raise your risk of blood clots and weaken blood vessels. 

How alcohol affects your heart

For starters, alcohol can cause abnormal heartbeats (called “arrhythmias”) and weaken your heart muscle. This is especially true if you’re a heavy drinker. The more alcohol you drink over time, the more likely you are to get heart disease (plaque buildup in your arteries) or suffer from a stroke or heart attack. This is especially true if you drink alcohol on a daily basis. 

For many, alcohol dependence can cause both short- and long-term issues that include:

• Vasodilation: Alcohol widens the blood vessels, increasing blood flow, preventing blood cells from clotting together as they normally would. This adds to the stress and overall workload on your heart.
• High blood pressure: Long-term alcohol use can harm the muscles in your blood vessels, causing them to constrict, or tighten, which raises your blood pressure. 
• Cardiomyopathy: Cardiomyopathy is heart muscle damage, and alcohol causes it by impacting heart cells, which can result in a thinner, enlarged, and weaker heart.
• Poor circulation: Because alcohol weakens the heart, it’s not able to pump blood as powerfully as your body needs, which impacts your circulation. 
• Increased risk of stroke: Alcohol can make you more likely to suffer a stroke because of the way it increases blood pressure.
• Cardiotoxicity: Alcohol directly hurts heart muscle cells. 

Why treatment matters

Drugs and alcohol (whether used separately or together) can have a serious and significant impact on your heart health. This is especially true when it comes to your circulation and heart strength. 

Even small issues that begin early and don’t feel impactful to your life right now can get worse over time. If left untreated, these problems can lead to heart failure, stroke, or a heart attack. But the good news is: with the right support, it’s possible to protect your heart and get back on track.

When you’re ready to take the next step, our licensed providers can guide your recovery right from the comfort of your home.

Signs of heart damage from drugs or alcohol

There are many signs of heart damage from drugs and alcohol, but some of the most common include:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Inflammation in the legs or abdomen
• Trouble catching your breath
• Chest pain or pressure
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Decreased activity tolerance
  

Both drugs and alcohol can be harmful to your heart. When you know the warning signs of heart conditions caused by substance use dependency, you can get the help you need to protect your health. 

Long-term effects of substance use on the circulatory system

Over time, chronic use of drugs and alcohol can lead to serious cardiovascular damage that can lead to major health issues if you don’t address them quickly. These substances affect how your heart beats, how your blood flows, and how hard your organs have to work to keep you functioning. 

Let’s break down how different substances can affect you when used over an extended period of time. 

Long-term alcohol use raises your risk of:

• Heart attack and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Abnormal heart rhythms
  

These long-term effects of alcohol can also cause clotting problems and vascular disease. Chronic heavy drinking can lead to circulatory issues like cardiomyopathy, which makes it more likely for your heart to fail. 

Using stimulants long-term can:

• Damage blood vessels
• Contribute to high blood pressure
• Increase risk of stroke, blood clots, and irregular heartbeats
  

Chronic use of stimulants can also inflame your heart muscle and narrow your arteries. This forces your heart to work harder with every beat. 

Long-term opioid use can: 

• Slow your heart rate and breathing
• Dangerously lower blood pressure
• Reduce blood oxygen levels, causing stress on your heart and lungs

People who inject opioids can face additional risks like endocarditis, an infection of the heart valve lining. 

Both long-term alcohol and drug use can weaken your heart and lungs, reduce circulation, and cause your other organs to work even harder just to keep up. These changes may not feel obvious at first, but they build up over time. If you’re noticing shortness of breath, fatigue, or other signs that something isn’t right, reaching out for help now can protect your health in the long run.

Can damage be reversed?

Thankfully, it’s possible to reverse the effects of substance use on your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Think of this as one further point of motivation to begin your journey toward sobriety. 

Taking fast action to protect your heart can help stabilize your blood pressure. This can be a big help in reducing some of the strain on your blood vessels and your heart. 

The sooner you start, the quicker you can take back control over your heart health.  Here at QuickMD, we provide compassionate,  evidence-based support to nurture your well-being and put you on the path to recovery. Convenient virtual visits with licensed providers let you start your recovery from the comfort of home and help you start feeling your best again. In many cases, we offer same-day visits online so that you can make moves to get the support you need without delay.  

Get help without waiting. Book an addiction treatment visit with us today.

Get help with drug or alcohol addiction

Substance use can touch every part of your life, including your heart health. The effects of drugs and alcohol on the circulatory system can put your well-being at risk because of how both can weaken your heart, increase blood pressure, and affect blood clotting.