title: Crack cocaine causing fatal vasoconstriction of the aorta.
abstract: Cocaine is the most powerful central nervous stimulant found in nature. All forms of cocaine cause tachycardia and vasoconstriction. A smokable, rapidly reacting form of cocaine base, "crack," is highly addictive. Smoking crack introduces a high concentration of cocaine into the bloodstream, rendering it especially dangerous. We report a case that visually demonstrates severe aortic vasoconstriction from the suprarenal aorta and extending to both femoral arteries and beyond, resulting in renal failure and fatal bowel ischemia after a 5-day binge of crack cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Martin Luther King, Jr./Charles R. Drew Medical Center, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wasserberger
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced; D000328:Adult; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001027:Aortography; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply; D007511:Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D014661:Vasoconstriction
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine