Cocaine Use Linked To Chest Pain In Patients

Washington (dbTechno) - According to a new report released by the American Heart Association on Monday, cocaine use may be a cause of chest pain in young, and otherwise healthy patients.

It seems that one thing physicians may begin to ask patients, is whether or not that have used cocaine in the past if they complain of chest pain.

Cocaine use can also have a major impact on treatment of heart attack patients. Two standard treatments for heart attacks, beta-blockers as well as well as clot-busting drugs, are very dangerous when combined with cocaine use.

The report noted that, on most occasions, chest pain related to cocaine use occured within three hours of using the drug.

This is not always the case though, as cocaine can stay in the body for 18 or more hours after use, and still cause complications.

The report stated that from 1999 to 2002, the number of emergency room visits related to cocaine use rose by 47%.

The majority of these visits are of younger people, around the age of 35.

The recommendation is that cocaine users with chest pain should be monitored for around 12 hours.

The report from the AHA has been published in the journal Circulation.