Cocaine addiction not only wrecks your life and relationships, but it can also permanently damage your health. Its use is on the rise, as are the associated health risks and fatalities. Cocaine overdose deaths are expected to rise by 26.5 percent in 2020, according to the CDC. While the effects of a cocaine “high” can be pleasurable in the short term, the long-term physical health consequences affect almost all of your body and brain systems. High blood pressure and brain changes, as well as heart attacks and strokes, are among the health risks.
The Effects Of Cocaine On The Immune System
- Unprotected sex, poor nutrition, and cocaine injection all increase the risk. Cocaine users are at a higher risk of contracting infections such as hepatitis and HIV.
- If you use crack cocaine, you are more likely to develop bronchitis and pneumonia.
Effects Of Cocaine On Breathing
- Cocaine addiction is harmful to the respiratory system.
- Cocaine hardens the lungs’ and other organs’ walls by constricting blood vessels and capillaries. As a result, breathing becomes more difficult.
- Cocaine has been shown in animal studies to affect the cellular mechanisms responsible for your sense of smell.
- Cigarette smoke and crack cocaine can harm your lungs, aggravate asthma, and cause other respiratory issues.
- Cocaine has the potential to cause bronchial tube spasms, which can lead to respiratory failure.
- Cocaine addiction can result in swollen lungs, ripped lung arteries and air sacs, and a decrease in blood supply to the lungs.
Effects Of Cocaine On The Brain
Cocaine, like many other drugs, stimulates the production of dopamine in the brain. This is what causes the chemical effects of cocaine to make you feel euphoric and pleasurable.
Cocaine abuse can result in:
- Result in the death of brain neurons and a slowing of brain functions.
- The structure of your brain will be harmed, putting you at risk for seizure disorders.
- Gray matter loss has an impact on many brain functions, including memory, movement, emotions, speech, and sensory perception.
- You are more likely to experience mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
The Effects Of Cocaine On The Digestive System
- A decrease in appetite leads to weight loss and malnutrition.
- Abdominal discomfort
- Damage to bowel tissue
- The intestines’ blood flow is reduced.
- Constipation
Effects Of Cocaine On The Heart
This can occur in a number of ways, including Cocaine abuse affects the circulatory system in both the short and long term.
- Heart Attack – It puts a lot of strain on your blood vessels, heart muscles, and arteries, increasing your chances of having a heart attack. The American Heart Association has dubbed cocaine “the perfect heart attack drug.”
- Abnormal cardiac rhythms – The drug disrupts your body’s supply of potassium, sodium, and calcium, interfering with the communications system that tells your heart to beat regularly. Cocaine has the ability to cause irregular heartbeats.
- Tears in the aorta – The tension and pressure caused by your heart racing as a result of cocaine use can cause the aorta, your main artery, to rip.
Take charge of your life and stop abusing drugs and alcohol. Drug Rehab Baltimore to Recovery offers evidence-based addiction treatment programs that address the root causes of substance abuse disorders. You will improve with the assistance of peers who understand your situation and behavioral health specialists who are experts in their fields. Call us today for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you. We show you how to deal with life’s triggers and obstacles in a more healthy manner.
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