The constant influx of dopamine resulting from cocaine causes the brain to stop producing dopamine naturally, and it starts to depend on the drug to work normally. Intravenous use and inhaling cocaine can cause lung damage, and lower respiratory problems such as chronic bronchitis, or pneumonia. Cocaine use causes a person’s breathing to slow down, often leading to shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and chest pain. Cocaine toxicity can result in pulmonary hemorrhages, pulmonary barotrauma, pulmonary infection, and asthma. Although the groups were similar on all demographic variables, initial analyses found that age, education, and Shipley IQ were highly predictive of performance on some of the tests. For the cocaine group, smoking was the main route of administration for 29 of the 30 participants.

Sex-Specific Treatments

In this study, VACS Index at baseline reflected moderate organ system damage, even though 47 and 25% of the patients had HCV and HIV infection, respectively. Despite moderate comorbidity, those with a VACS 14 ways to cure a headache without medication Index score over 40 were up to 2.6 times more likely to require hospitalization than those with a VACS score under 20. On the other hand, women with CUD and AUD were at a higher risk of hospitalization.

Endocarditis in patients with cocaine or opioid use disorder markedly increased between 2011 and 2022

In Catalonia (Spain), 24% of people who seek treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) have a cocaine use disorder (CUD), and this percentage has increased in recent years (Subdirecció General de Drogodependències, 2018). In summary, cocaine use affects eating behavior and suppresses appetite, leading to malnutrition and anorexia through disruption of the metabolic process and neuroendocrine regulation. Also, cocaine uptake in the body can lead to mesenteric vasoconstriction and focal tissue ischemia, and alter lipid as well as glucose profiles, presumably resulting in increased risk for metabolic and cardiovascular problems in cocaine users. Notably, the cessation of cocaine use causes sudden/excess weight gain during the recovery period/process, leading to increased cardiovascular and cardio-metabolic risks. As such, cocaine-induced changes in food intake patterns and the metabolic process can lead to cardiovascular complications during addiction as well as cessation periods.

Treatments Targeting Cognitive Deficits

Based on immunological studies, mast cells in plaques may contribute to atherosclerosis, vasospasm, thrombosis, and sudden death [57,59,64]. Briefly, proteolytic substances released from mast cells accelerate atherosclerosis by degrading and facilitating uptake of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by macrophages [65,66]. Histamine released from mast cells increases endothelial permeability, which leads to leukocyte migration [67]. As such, cocaine has complex effects on endothelial cell dysfunction, facilitates low-density lipoprotein and leukocyte migration, and increases intimal smooth muscle cells, all of which contribute to atherosclerosis in long-term users.

1. Four RCTs found that years of cocaine use, LDA, cocaine use in the 30 days prior to treatment entrance, and current cocaine use were strong predictors of treatment retention and abstinence (based on urine drug tests).
2. For more information on symptoms, causes, and treatment of stimulant-related disorders, see our Diagnosis Dictionary.
3. Counseling and other types of therapy are the most common treatments for cocaine use disorder.
4. Although the groups were similar on all demographic variables, initial analyses found that age, education, and Shipley IQ were highly predictive of performance on some of the tests.

All cocaine sold in the U.S. is distributed by numerous drug cartels operating in the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and South America. Cocaine is derived from the coca plant widely cultivated throughout alcohol use: weighing risks and benefits South America as a “cash” crop. A psychoactive alkaloid that targets the brain’s reward system, cocaine is extracted from coca leaves by adding organic solvents to dried, finely chopped coca leaves.

Cocaine can be inhaled through the nose (e.g., “snorting”) as well as smoked in freebase form, or crack cocaine. Researchers employed a rat model to mimic human addiction patterns, allowing the models to self-dose by nose poke. Paired with advanced neuroimaging techniques, the behavioral approach enables a deeper understanding of the brain’s adaptation to prolonged drug use and highlights how addictive substances can alter the functioning of critical brain networks. The research was motivated by observations from human functional brain imaging studies suggesting chronic cocaine use alters connectivity within and between the major brain networks. Researchers needed a longitudinal animal model to understand the relationship between brain connectivity and the development of cocaine dependence, as well as changes during abstinence.

Based on the currently available evidence [7], the best predictors of treatment outcomes are 1) treatment retention (measured by urinalysis), 2) craving (measured through the Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment [CSSA]), and 3) impulsivity, regardless of how it is measured [8]. In other words, lower treatment retention ecstasy detox symptoms timeline medications and treatment rates and higher craving and impulsivity levels predict worse outcomes. Cocaine use can cause rhabdomyolysis, which is a breakdown of muscle tissue that releases a harmful protein called myoglobin into the blood. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include red colored urine, less urine production, feeling weak, and muscle aches.

The injecting drug user is at risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV/AIDS as well as hepatitis C if needles or other injection equipment are shared. Today, cocaine is regulated as a Schedule II drug—it has a high potential for abuse but can be administered by a doctor for legitimate medical uses, such as a local anesthetic for certain eye, ear, and throat surgeries. Concern soon mounted due to increased instances of addiction, erratic behavior, convulsion, and death. The Pure Food and Drug Act, passed in 1906, required that dangerous ingredients such as cocaine be listed on product labels. The Harrison Act of 1914 outlawed the use of cocaine altogether in over-the-counter products and made it available only by prescription.

Counseling and other types of therapy are the most common treatments for cocaine use disorder. Sessions with a trained therapist can help you make changes to your behaviors and thought processes. You may need to stay in a rehabilitation center (also known as rehab) for intensive therapy and support. If you do attend rehab, continuing treatment afterward (aftercare) is important to help you avoid relapse. Another reason cocaine can lead to substance use disorder is that each time you use it, your body builds a tolerance. The team scanned the brains of 120 individuals, half of whom were addicted to cocaine.

One trial evaluated cognitive flexibility and problem solving as potential predictors of treatment outcomes. In that trial, a high percentage of perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the most widely used tool to assess cognitive flexibility and problem solving, was a robust predictor of treatment dropout. In other words, patients who repeated mistakes on a problem-solving task discontinued treatment earlier than patients who performed better on the WCST [39]. Two RCTs found that the LDA (consecutive weeks of negative urine samples during treatment) predicted abstinence at 9-months posttreatment. In addition, the greater the number of negative samples submitted during treatment, the higher the long-term abstinence rate [11, 31].

These changes were more pronounced with increased cocaine intake over the 10 days of self-administration, suggesting a potential target for reducing cocaine cravings and aiding those in recovery. The changes in these networks’ communication could also serve as useful imaging biomarkers for cocaine addiction. Hsu led this project during his postdoctoral tenure at the Center for Animal MRI in the Biomedical Research Imaging Center and the Department of Neurology. The work provides new insights into the brain processes that underlie cocaine addiction and creates opportunities for the development of therapeutic approaches and the identification of an imaging marker for cocaine use disorders.