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Cocaine and cardiovascular function in dogs: effects on heart and peripheral circulation
J B Bedotto1, R W Lee, L D Lancaster
1Department of Internal Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona 85723.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
|June 1, 1988
Summary
Cocaine significantly impacts cardiovascular function, increasing blood pressure and vascular resistance while decreasing cardiac output and arterial compliance. It also impairs left ventricular relaxation, highlighting its detrimental cardiovascular effects.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cocaine is a potent stimulant with known cardiovascular risks.
- Understanding its precise hemodynamic effects is crucial for clinical management and harm reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the acute effects of intravenous cocaine administration on cardiac and peripheral circulatory variables in a canine model.
- To quantify changes in blood pressure, cardiac output, ventricular function, and vascular resistance.
Main Methods:
- Seven mongrel dogs were infused intravenously with cocaine at 0.5 mg/kg/min.
- Hemodynamic variables, including ventricular relaxation parameters, were measured.
- Holter monitoring and coronary arteriography were performed.
Main Results:
- Cocaine significantly increased mean aortic pressure, left ventricular systolic and end-diastolic pressures, and mean circulatory filling pressure.
- Cardiac index, stroke volume, and ejection fraction significantly decreased.
- Systemic vascular resistance increased by 58%, and arterial compliance decreased by 32%.
Conclusions:
- Cocaine induces significant adverse cardiovascular changes, including hypertension, reduced cardiac efficiency, and impaired ventricular relaxation.
- These findings underscore the profound impact of cocaine on cardiovascular hemodynamics.