The impact of cocaine on the heart

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The impact of cocaine on the heart

06/11/2014 

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that directly affects to the brain. It is a very common pure drug and it has been around since the early eighties. Cocaine can be injected into our body in many ways, the main routes of transmission are oral, nasal, intravenous, and inhalation.

A team of Spanish researchers has shown the influence of cocaine on our body. Thanks to this Spanish study, it has been shown that this drug shows cardiovascular lesions in asymptomatic addicts. In addition, it has also been proved that lesions in patients with symptoms and the probability that these appear increases as does the duration of use.

To discover this fact, 94 patients who were in a detoxification clinic who had an average life of about 36 years was chosen. Test consisted on subjecting individues to a magnetic, a technique allowing to visualize the functioning of the cardiovascular system Cardiac 3T. After completion of testing and comparing the test ogre healthy people, researchers found that 71% of addicts suffered heart damages. Those who do not show any signs of heart problems, suffered from some type of heart disease. Although the researchers measured the impact doubled and cocaine abuse substances like alcohol exerted on the heart, the researchers found a greater detrimental effect. This figure contrasted with other investigations that were made.

This discovery about cocaine is not complete at all. Researchers try to assess to what extent the damage will be reversible to stop using cocaine, what mechanisms provoke the development of the injury and if it cans design a parameter that helps specialists detect individues at risk to refer them to a cardiologist.

GLOSSARY

- Damage: injury, harm or destruction that reduces value.

- Development:  the act or process of growing, processing or developing.

- Average: the number that results fram adding several quantities together and then dividing that total by the number of quantities that we are added.

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