Cocaine is perfect drug for heart attack, say researchers

Cocaine is “the perfect heart attack drug” with users at much greater risk of suffering cardiac arrest than people who do not take it, a new study has revealed.

Researchers found recreational cocaine users have higher blood pressure, stiffer arteries and thicker heart muscle walls than non-users – all of which can cause a heart attack.

The Australian study is the first to document some of these cardiovascular abnormalities in seemingly healthy cocaine users long after the immediate effects of cocaine have worn off.

The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the effects of the drug in 20 otherwise healthy adults who “chronically” used the ­illegal substance.

Compared with 20 non-users, those taking cocaine had higher rates of the multiple factors ­associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

They found users had a 30 to 35 per cent increase in aortic stiffening, higher blood pressure and 18 per cent greater thickness of the heart’s left ­ventricle wall. Lead researcher Doctor Gemma Figtree said: “It’s so sad. We are repeatedly seeing young, ­otherwise fit individuals ­suffering massive heart attacks related to cocaine use.

“Despite being well-­educated professionals, they have no ­knowledge of the health ­consequences of regularly using cocaine. It’s the perfect heart ­attack drug.”

Dr Figtree, an associate ­professor of medicine at Sydney Medical School at the ­University of Sydney, said the combined ­effects of greater blood ­clotting, increased heart stress and more blood vessel constriction put users at a high risk of a ­spontaneous heart attack.

Researchers at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital recruited recreational cocaine users – 17 men and three women with an average age of 37 – who reported usage at least once a month for the past year.

They completed questionnaires describing their habit, cardiovascular risk factors and socioeconomic status.

At least 48 hours after their last cocaine use, volunteers had their blood pressure taken and then underwent cardiac MRIs.

Researchers performed direct comparisons with similar-aged non-users, taking into account any history of diabetes, smoking and other drug use.

Dr Figtree added: “Stiffer vessels are known to be ­associated with elevated systolic blood pressure.

“As a result, the heart is required to work harder, and its walls become hypertrophied or thicker.”

The researchers did not find evidence of earlier “silent” heart attacks among cocaine users, contrary to previous studies. The study is the first to ­document persistent hypertension and ­vascular stiffness in cocaine users, long after the acute effects have worn off.

Previous studies have shown the immediate effects of ­cocaine on the heart, and primarily among cocaine addicts, not ­social users. Although it is currently unclear how repeated social cocaine use causes blood vessels to stiffen, researchers are investigating a signalling ­pathway that might be activated to cause such a response.

Dr Figtree said the study results underlined the need for education about the short and long-term effects of cocaine use to help prevent heart attack and stroke.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2012.