Cocaine

What is cocaine?

  • Cocaine is a naturally occurring potent stimulant1
  • It can be injected intravenously, snorted, or smoked1
  • One derivative of cocaine is “crack” which is a form of the drug that is not neutralized by acid to form a salt. It is sold as a crystal rock.  It can be heated to form vapors which are then smoked1
  • Cocaine works by decreasing the availability of Dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system2
 

What are the medical consequences of cocaine use?

  • Nausea3
  • Abdominal pain3
  • Neurological effects2
    Seizures2
  • Cardiovascular effects
         Cardiac arrhythmias2
         Myocardial infarctions2
         Cardiac arrest3
         Hypertension2
  • Mental health effects
         Increased feelings of anxiety2
         Increased feelings of aggression2
         Paranoia2
         Increased risk of psychiatric disorders2
  • Increased risk of HIV and Hepatitis4
 

What are the medical consequences of cocaine use in pregnancy?

  • Preterm labor4
  • Preterm premature rupture of membranes4
  • Placental abruption4
  • Decreased birth weight and size4, 5
  • Visual problems in the neonate5
  • Delayed language development in neonate5
  • Decreased attention span in child5
 

 
Resources
  1. Office of National Drug Control Policy.  Street Terms: Drug and Drug Trade.  Retrieved November 15, 2010 from http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/. 
  2. Minnes, S. et al. (2012). Cocaine use during pregnancy and health outcomes after 10 years. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 126. 71-79.
  3. Drug Facts: Cocaine.  Retrieved January 15, 2014 from The National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine
  4. Schempf, A.H. (2009).  Illicit Drug Use and Neonatal Outcomes: a Critical Review [Electronic Version]. Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey, 62:11.  749-757.
  5. Bandstra, E.S (2010). Prenatal Drug Exposure: Infant and Toddler Outcomes [Electronic Version]. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 29, 245-358. 
 
January, 2014