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Key Cardiovascular complications of cocaine:
- Myocardial ischemia and infarction
- Myocarditis and cardiomyopathy
- Aortic dissection
- Vessel thrombosis
- Stroke (usually hemorrhagic)
- Visceral ischemia
Pearls:
- Cocaine and abdominal pain=mesenteric ischemia, hemoperitoneum (described)
- Cocaine and chest pain=MI, aortic dissection
- Cocaine and extremity pain=arterial thrombosis, aortic dissection
- ~ 6% of cocaine chest pain patients rule in for MI
References
Restrepo CS, et al. Cardiovascular complications of cocaine: Imaging findings. Emerg Radiol 2008