Occurrence of stroke associated with use/abuse of drugs

Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke frequently occur in temporal association with use or abuse of illicit and over-the-counter (OTC) sympathomimetic drugs. However, little information is available on the proportion of strokes associated with use/abuse of drugs in specific hospital populations. Between September 1, 1988, and August 1, 1989, 167 of 178 stroke patients entered into the Maryland Stroke Data Bank were asked for a history of drug use or abuse. Information was incomplete in 51 of 167 (31%) patients due to neurologic deficit or lack of inquiry. Eleven of the remaining 116 cases (9.5%) were historically associated with drug use. Age range was 25 to 56 years (mean, 41 years). Stroke associated with drug use occurred in four of 62 (6%) cerebral infarcts, two of 28 (7%) intracerebral hemorrhages, and five of 26 (19%) subarachnoid hemorrhages (p = ns). Drugs included cocaine in five (45%), OTC sympathomimetics in three (27%), phencyclidine in two (18%), and heroin in one (9%).