Intestinal Infarction after Intravenous Cocaine Administration
Authors: Ronald S. Freudenberger
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1990)

Brief Reports1 November 1990Intestinal Infarction after Intravenous Cocaine AdministrationRonald S. Freudenberger, MD, Mitchell S. Cappell, MD, PhD, Douglas A. Hutt, MDRonald S. Freudenberger, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Mitchell S. Cappell, MD, PhDSearch for more papers by this author, Douglas A. Hutt, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-113-9-715 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptCocaine is a leading and rapidly growing cause of drug toxicity and drug-related mortality (1). Although it is well known that cocaine can produce myocardial and cerebral infarction (2-4), little is known about cocaine-induced ischemic damage to other organs. We report a case of acute mesenteric ischemia after intravenous administration of cocaine, which extends previously reported observations (5, 6).Case ReportA 38-year-old thin male intravenous cocaine abuser was found at work to be lethargic but arousable after intravenously self-administering 4 grams of cocaine the previous day. The patient had myalgias, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal discomfort. He denied chest pain,...References1. MacDonald D. Cocaine leads emergency department drug visits [Abstract]. JAMA. 1987;258:2029. CrossrefGoogle Scholar2. Lichtenfeld P, Rubin D, and Feldman R. Subarachnoid hemorrhage precipitated by cocaine snorting. Arch Neurol. 1984;41:223-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Lange R, Cigarroa R, and Yancy C. Cocaine induced coronary artery vasoconstriction. N Engl J Med. 1989;321:1557-62. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Cregler L and Mark H. Special report: medical complications of cocaine abuse. N Engl J Med. 1986;315:1495-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Nalbandian H, Sheth N, Dietrich R, and Georgiou J. Intestinal ischemia caused by cocaine ingestion: report of two cases. Surgery. 1985;97:374-6. MedlineGoogle Scholar6. Mizrahi S, Laor D, and Stamler B. Intestinal ischemia induced by cocaine abuse [Letter]. Arch Surg. 1988;123:394. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Sharf J. Renal infarction associated with intravenous cocaine use. Ann Emerg Med. 1984;13:1145-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Williams L. Mesenteric ischemia. Surg Clin North Am. 1988;68:331-53. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Texter E, Chou C, Merrill S, Laureta H, and Frohlich E. Direct effects of vasoactive agents on segmental resistance of the mesenteric and portal circulation: studies with 1-epinephrine, levarterenol, angiotensin, vasopressin, acetylcholine, methacholine, histamine, and serotonin. J Lab Clin Med. 1964;64:624-33. MedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Ronald S. Freudenberger, MD; Mitchell S. Cappell, MD, PhD; Douglas A. Hutt, MDFrom the University of Medicine of New Jersey—Robert Wood Johnson (Rutgers) Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey. For current author addresses, see end of text. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byDoes the Route of Cocaine Use Affect the Mortality and Outcomes of Cocaine-Induced Intestinal Ischemia? 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