​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 size^{4, 5}
• Visual problems in the neonate⁵
• Delayed language development in neonate⁵
• Decreased attention span in child⁵

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.