THE RISK OF COCAINE

Indirectly cocaine can damage the heart

In addition to causing nerve damage and brain, addicts also have to bear the risk of hidden cocaine. The risk of heart disease lurks silently with no symptoms of cocaine addicts.

A new study found that heart damage caused by heavy cocaine use can occur without showing any symptoms.

In the study, researchers assessed the long-term cardiovascular health of 30 cocaine users, mean age 37 years, who entered drug rehabilitation programs 48 hours after the last use of cocaine. Study participants had used cocaine for an average of 12 years and consume about 5.5 grams of cocaine per day.

Normal cardiac function at all cocaine users, but 12 of them have local interference, 83 percent experienced structural damage and 47 percent experienced swelling (edema) in the lower left ventricle. Edema associated with cocaine use.

The researchers also found that 73 percent of addicts have liver scarring (fibrosis), which may be caused by a silent heart attack (silent heart attack) or toxic damage.

According to the release of the results of studies that have been dipublikan in the journal Heart, about 1 in 5 of cocaine addicts have myocarditis, inflammation of heart muscle. And, among young people aged less than 45 years, a quarter of non-fatal heart attack associated with cocaine.

More than half the participants pecanduan cocaine also used other materials, such as heroin and alcohol. And 1 in 5 of those infected with hepatitis C or HIV