Cocaine and medical complications
Substance 3: Cocaine
Cocaine is the drug that skyrocketed in popularity during the 1980s due to the prevalence of crack cocaine. The smokable “crack” form of cocaine was inexpensive and easily available. The irony of crack’s inexpensive price tag is that it costed so many tens of thousands of people everything they had. This substance is incredibly addictive and some would say that for some certain percentage of people who have the right genetic makeup for crack addiction – once they try it they have absolutely no choice but to pursue the sensation of being high on cocaine until they’ve completely destroyed their lives.
Our parent facility Sober Living by the Sea became very accustomed to detoxing men and women off of crack cocaine and getting them into a long term treatment program that helped them live a meaningful life without cocaine.
Surprisingly, because of cocaine’s popularity and availability, it is still the most frequent cause of drug-related death, particularly when combined with alcohol.
Medical Complications of Cocaine
Cocaine users that routinely snort (inhale through the nasal passage) cocaine will eventually experience some or all of these symptoms:
- nosebleeds
- difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
- Irritation of the nasal septum
- chronic mucosal inflammation
- hoarseness
- runny nose (rhinorrhea)
Intravenous users (who “shoot” the cocaine into their veins with a needle), will have puncture marks or “tracks” on the arms (and other parts of the body). Needle using cocaine users will often be unsanitary with their needles and are prone to suffer from infections diseases including AIDS.
Cardiac Complications of Cocaine Use
Cocaine can have unpredictable effects on the body with tragic results as evidenced by Len Bias’ famed overdose (“upon first use” supposedly) in June of 1986.
Recent cocaine use is a common cause of chest pain. Although cocaine can lead to ventricular fibrillation, tachycardia, and increased blood pressure, its main mechanism for inducing chest pain and myocardial infarction (MI) is coronary vasospasm, especially of diseased vessels. The risk of heart attack is increased by a factor of 24 in the first 60 minutes after cocaine use.
Chronic use of cocaine can induce thrombus formation, leading to atherosclerotic disease. Recurrent chest pain in a young, otherwise healthy individual could indicate cocaine abuse.
Neurologic Complications
Headaches are very common among cocaine users. Although usually associated with intoxication or withdrawal, headaches can be experienced frequently even during the cocaine “high.” Cocaine inhibits the body’s ability to prevent seizures, and first time cocaine users are prone to experiencing (potentially fatal) seizures.
Getting Help
This list of medical complications is but a partial list of the dangers of cocaine use. It also doesn’t include the damage psychologically on the individual user or the user’s family as that person often pursues the cocaine high to the point of destroying their own lives and often the lives of others. The Landing has special educational and therapeutic components in its treatment program that make the treatment of cocaine addiction possible and provide the best possible chance at long term recovery. Please contact us today for more information.
