<p>[eMJA:</a> Cocaine use and cardiovascular complications](<a href=“http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_05_020902/vas10632_fm.html]eMJA:”>Cocaine use and cardiovascular complications | The Medical Journal of Australia)
Here is a good summary of the cardiac effects of cocaine. This is only part of the reason people can die using it. This is only the cardiac effects.</p>
<p>For ER docs, when a young healthy male comes into the ER having an MI, one of the first thoughts is to do a drug screen, as it could be cocaine use. It can happen even with the first use. Families get all bent out of shape when they see the bill for the drug screen on the hospital bill. But the results can be positive as much as 20-30% of the time.</p>
<p>Billy was middle age, and at even more risk from a cardiac standpoint using cocaine. He might have worked out and have been fit, but his weight and age alone put him in a risk category. Add just a little use of a stimulant, and he was playing with fire. His hyper personality, his energy and enthusiasm, may have been a strain on his heart. Sadly, cocaine even in moderation, even in just occasional use, could have been what put his risk over the edge. </p>
<p>Sad his image was tarnished this way. And I am sure his wife and family had no clue. That is usually how it is. I feel bad that he did this to his family. While he might have died of a heart attack anyway, one has to wonder if chronic cocaine use hastened the event.</p>