Acute neurologic and psychiatric complications associated with cocaine abuse (1987)

FRANÇAIS :
Étude sur 996 visites au service d'urgence et 279 admissions à l' hôpital général de San Francisco entre 1979 et 1986 pour déterminer les complications neurologiques et psychiatriques et les types d'utilisation augmentant ces complications. Les principales complications sont les attaques, les signes neurologiques focaux, les maux de tête, les pertes momentanées de conscience; les troubles psychiatriques sont l'agitation, l'anxiété, la dépression, la psychose et la paranoïa, les idées de suicide.
ENGLISH:
This report reviewed 996 emergency room visits and 279 hospital admissions of patients with complications of cocaine abuse seen at the San Francisco General Hospital between 1979 and 1986. In 143 cases, acute neurologic or psychiatric symptoms were the primary complaint, and case-notes provided sufficient detail for analysis. The major neurologic complications included one or more seizures (n = 29), focal neurologic symptoms or signs (12), headache (10), and transient loss of consciousness (six). Psychiatric disturbances included agitation, anxiety, or depression (33), psychosis and paranola (24), and suicidal ideation (18). The most serious consequences were found in patients with prolonged seizures or strokes, those who jumped out of buildings, and those who attempted suicide by overdosing with other drugs. There was no correlaton between the appearance of complications and the reported route of administration, the amount of cocaine used, or prior experience with cocaine. The number of patients who are seeking hospital attention for these or related complaints appears to be rising substantially. Cocaine abuse, regardless of the use pattern, is associated with a variety of potentially severe neurologic and psychiatric complications.