title: Dissection of the aorta and coronary arteries associated with acute cocaine intoxication.
abstract: Acute myocardial ischemia, cardiac arrhythmias, and conduction disturbances are the most common cardiovascular complications of cocaine and its alkaloidal freebase "crack." Cocaine abuse-related acute aortic dissection has been reported only rarely: three cases in the last 5 years. Described herein, to our knowledge, is the first case of cocaine intoxication-associated acute aortic dissection that also involved the coronary arteries, causing sudden death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Blodgett Memorial Medical Center, Grand Rapids, MI 49506.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cohle
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000506:poisoning*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine