A new tool to predict heart risk for people who use stimulants
Official title: Development of a Clinical Tool for Predicting Cardiovascular Risk in Stimulant Users
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11437580 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new clinical tool will help doctors estimate a patient’s risk of heart problems more accurately for people who use cocaine or methamphetamines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $243,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HL184308-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11437580 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history of illicit stimulant use (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine) who are at risk for cardiovascular disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without stimulant use or established cardiovascular risk may not directly benefit from this tool.
What this research studies
If you use stimulants, your heart might be at higher risk than standard calculators show, so this project aims to create a better personal risk score. The team at the University of Pennsylvania will look at existing methods and how stimulant use changes risk, then build a calculator tailored for this group. The result could help clinicians tailor prevention and treatment, with clear numbers to discuss with patients. The grant is small and focused on developing and testing this tool over about a year.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients who use stimulants may receive more personalized prevention plans and timely interventions to prevent heart disease and related events.
How similar studies have gone: Current risk tools underperform in stimulant users; this project builds on existing risk modeling but applies it to a high-risk subgroup, making success less certain but potentially impactful.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harris, Rebecca Arden — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Harris, Rebecca Arden
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.