Several large Massachusetts hospitals have begun calling and sending letters to hundreds of cardiac patients advising them that they received a heart medication produced by the troubled Framingham speciality pharmacy linked to the national fungal meningitis outbreak.

The US Food and Drug Admin­istration warned earlier this week that the heart drug might have been contaminated with a fungus, like the two inject­able steroids that have ­apparently caused the meningitis cases. The statement was ­issued after a heart transplant patient fell ill with a fungal ­infection. The patient received cardioplegia solution supplied by New England Compounding Center.