(L.A.) Guadalupe Zavala, 39, Died on a Street

Case Number: 2022-02517

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 39-year-old Latin American female that occurred on a street.

The coroner’s office has identified the woman as Guadalupe Zavala and described her as transient.

Manner of Death: Accident

Cause of Death: Methamphetamine Toxicity

Other Significant Conditions: Chronic Ethanol Use, Infective Endocarditis

RIP GUADALUPE ZAVALA (January 22, 1983 – March 1, 2022)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Tuesday at 9:17 a.m.

Incident Location:
10th Street at Lawrence Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Methamphetamine use is a significant risk factor for developing infective endocarditis, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a bacterial infection of the heart valves or lining.

Injecting methamphetamine can introduce bacteria directly into the bloodstream, allowing it to spread to the heart and cause endocarditis. Poor injection hygiene, using contaminated equipment, and injecting particulate matter also increase the risk.

Methamphetamine use can damage heart valves and tissue, making users more susceptible to endocarditis. The physiological effects of meth, such as vasospasm and tissue damage, further elevate the risk.

There has been a significant nationwide increase in hospitalizations for injection drug use-related infective endocarditis, with cases rising by 38-66% between 2000-2003 despite stable injection drug use rates. This spike is partially attributed to rising methamphetamine use.

Among people with opioid use disorder, the rate of endocarditis increased nearly tenfold from 2011 to 2022, with the sharpest rise occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methamphetamine users tend to develop cardiovascular diseases, including endocarditis, at younger ages and with greater intensity compared to non-users.