special subjects
Cocaine
Signs ofCocaineIntoxication
Cocaineuse causes both immediate and long-term symptoms. Cocaineproduces a sense of extreme alertness, euphoria, and great power when it is injected intravenously or inhaled. These feelings are less intense whencocaineis snorted. Becausecocaine’s effects may last only a short time, users may inject, smoke, or snort it every 15 to 30 minutes. Binges, often over several days, lead to exhaustion and a need for sleep. High doses can impair judgment and cause tremors, extreme nervousness, seizures, hallucinations, insomnia, paranoid delusions, delirium, and violent behavior. People sweat profusely and the pupils are dilated. Very high doses can cause a life-threatening high body temperature ( Overview of Heat Disorders ). increases blood pressure and heart rate, and heart rhythm may be disturbed (called an ). Long-term users may develop Tolerance , requiring more and more of the drug to get the same effects. Long-term use may damage the tissue separating the two halves of the nose (septum), causing sores (ulcerations) that may require surgery. Heavy use may impair mental function, including attention and memory. Chronic use can also damage the heart, causing scarring and thickening of the heart muscle and eventually leading to during pregnancy, the fetus is more likely to have problems leading to Miscarriage . Withdrawal reactions (cocainewashout syndrome) include extreme fatigue, sleepiness, and depression—the opposite of the drug’s effects. Appetite is increased, and people have trouble concentrating. Suicidal urges emerge when people stop taking the drug. Usingcocainecan cause sudden death. 