Cocaine Abuse Overview
Cocaine is presently the most abused major stimulant in America. It has recently become the drug most frequently involved in emergency department visits.
Cocaine Abuse
OTC and Prescription Drug Abuse Slideshow Pictures
Health Risks of Alcohol Abuse Slideshow Pictures ...
COCAINE ABUSE.For the cocaine abuser, the use of the substance leads to maladaptive behavior over a 12-month period. The person may fail to meet responsibilities at school, work, or home.
Cocaine abuse is a significant problem in the United States and worldwide. The effects of this epidemic are numerous, including medical, psychosocial, and economic. Among the medical consequences, the cardiac effects of cocaine use are well described.
Cocaine Abuse
Definition
Cocaine is a naturally occurring substance produced from the leaves of the coca plant.
Cocaine abuse and addiction continues to be a problem that plagues many countries. In 1997, for example, an estimated 1.5 million Americans age 12 and older were chronic cocaine users. Although this is an improvement over the 1985 estimate of 5.
Cocaine abuse and addiction have no single cause but are rather the result of a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.
The consequences of cocaine abuse are:
irregular heartbeat, heart attack and heart failure
strokes and seizures
fluid in the lungs and other lung disorders
paranoia, depression, anxiety disorders and delusions
aggressive, violent behavior ...
Colliver JD, Kopstein AN: Trends in cocaine abuse reflected in emergency room episodes reported to DAWN. Drug Abuse Warning Network. Public Health Rep 106 (1): 59-68, 1991 Jan-Feb.
Cocaine Addiction (Cocaine Abuse)
Cocaine Abuse
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)
Codependency
Cognitive Disability (Cognitive Impairment)
Cognitive Disorder (Cognitive Impairment)
Cognitive Impairment
COLD Exposure (Hypothermia) ...
Alcohol (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) or cocaine abuse
Atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, or other heart rhythm problems in which the heart beats very fast for a long period of time (called Tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy) ...
Cocaine abuse in pregnancy is associated with a higher rate of placental abruption and spontaneous abortion, perhaps caused by reduced maternal blood flow to the placental vascular bed; ...
Cocaine abuse and dependence in adults
Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus
Eating disorders: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and overview of clinical features
Epidemiology of tuberculosis ...
There is little evidence that any specific treatment improves outcome in the treatment of cocaine abuse. Acute intoxication may require treatment with benzodiazepines and anti-psychotic medication.
Alcohol (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) or cocaine abuse
Medications
Trace elements, such as lead, arsenic, or mercury
Family history of cardiomyopathy (some cardiomyopathies run in families and have a genetic component) ...
The health consequences of long-term cocaine abuse include disturbances in heart rhythm, heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, convulsions, and coma.
Drug abuse: cocaine abuse is well known for causing heart problems - such as fatal pacemaker irregularities, especially if alcohol is taken at the same time.
High cholesterol levels: cholesterol is a type of fat.
Alcohol or cocaine abuse
Medications, including antidepressants, especially trazodone (Desyrel), tranquilizers, blood pressure medications and blood thinners
Spinal cord problems
Trauma to the genitals or groin
Sickle cell disease
Anesthesia ...
Why: e.g. alcoholism and cocaine abuse are associated with chronic fatigue; drug withdrawal (especially from illicit drugs such as amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine and heroin) may cause fatigue.
Dietary history?
Crack, a less expensive form of cocaine that is smoked rather than snorted, has made cocaine abuse a widespread problem.
Some people are more sensitive than others to cocaine. A small amount of the drug can kill people who are sensitive to it.
Dopamine results in the euphoria commonly reported by cocaine abusers. As a person continues to use cocaine, a tolerance is developed. This means that higher doses and more frequent use are required to maintain the euphoria.
Cocaine stimulates the brain to release large amounts of the hormone dopamine, which, when amassed in sufficient quantities, results in the euphoria commonly reported by cocaine abusers.
People who smoke one pack a day have over two times the risk of stroke compared to non-smokers.
Diabetes
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Heavy alcohol use
Kidney disease, especially when dialysis is needed
Cocaine abuse
Family history of stroke ...
"New developments in the pharmacotherapy of cocaine abuse". Addict Biol 12 (2): 133-51. doi:10.1111/j.1369-1600.2007.00061.x. PMID 17508985.
^ Urschel HC, Hanselka LL, Gromov I, White L, Baron M (2007).
 See also: Abuse, Symptom, Death, Stress, Addiction
|
