title: Cocaine: friend or foe? (Part 2).
abstract: The cocaine epidemic is growing at an alarming rate in the United States. Medical and social implications of cocaine abuse are many and include such aspects as intoxication, personal, financial and moral ruin. Complications associated with cocaine use more commonly involve the cardiovascular, central nervous system and the reproductive systems. One of the major concerns regarding cocaine abuse goes far beyond its ill effects on the user. High incidence of congenital malformations and the learning and behavioral disorders in the infants results in a growing number of "misfit" or "undesirable" citizens in the country. Hence, the healthcare providers, the politicians and the legal system must intensely direct their efforts at eradicating this menace.
authors.affiliation: University of North Dakota Medical School, Fargo.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laddu
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000139:chemically induced; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000139:chemically induced; D011247:Pregnancy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine