Long term effects of cocaine on the heart assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance at 3T

Cocaine is a highly addictive sympathomimetic drug with potentially lethal effects [1,2]. The annual prevalence of cocaine use is 0.3% to 0.5% of the world population aged 15-64 [3], corresponding to roughly 18 million people. Standardised mortality ratios suggest that mortality is 4-8 times higher among cocaine users than age and gender peers in the general population [4]. Cocaine cardiotoxicity appears multifactorial through several mechanisms involving the development of ischemia and infarction [5], ventricular hypertrophy [6], systolic dysfunction[7], arrhythmias [8], endocarditis [9], and aortic pathology [10]. Cocaine is usually consumed along with other substances, mainly ethanol and tobacco, which can exacer bate the deleterious effects of cocaine [11]

 

acesse: http://www.jcmr-online.com/content/16/1/26