Cocaine Overdose

Cocaine Overdose, What is it?

Cocaine overdose is an amount of cocaine taken into the body that causes, instead of a pleasant high, potentially lethal side effects. Death from cocaine overdose can be caused by convulsions, heart failure or respiratory depression.

Although cocaine effects will vary from person to person, doses of up to 100mg usually will create a high feeling, and euphoria. If taken at higher levels, cocaine addicts will have a more intense reaction and increased probability of adverse side effects that can include bizarre, erratic and violent behavior.

Cocaine overdose is an amount of cocaine taken
that causes potentially lethal side effects

Effects of Cocaine Overdose

Feelings of vertigo, tremors, tics and paranoia; toxic effects of cocaine overdose are similar to amphetamine poisoning, both being powerful stimulants. Mild overdose can cause rapid heartbeats, palpitations and shortness of breath - people can feel as if they are having a panic attack.

Cocaine overdose increases pulse, respiratory rate and increases body temperature. Increased blood pressure leads to chest pains, nausea, blurred vision, bring the risk of strokes, coma and death. Cocaine is pyrogenic (heat inducing) due to increasing metabolism and motor function. High body temperatures can lead to renal failure and cooling is inhibited by vasoconstriction of blood vessels. Acute cocaine overdose can be similar to MDMA ecstasy effects.

People with a history of heart disease and circulatory problems should never use cocaine.

Treatments for Overdose

Treatments for cocaine overdose include benzodiazapine sedation, using drugs such as prescription Valium (Diazepam) to decrease the pulse and respiratory rate. Over heating can be treated with paracetamol (acetaminophen) and cooling thermal blankets.

Factors Leading to Overdose

Cocaine overdose, as with all substance abuse, will depend upon a wide range of inter-related factors.

The amount of cocaine that is taken. Cocaine users can find cocaine to be unpredictable, being very rarely pure. If cocaine is too pure, compared with a usual purchase, an overdose can occur. Freebase cocaine when smoked is unpredictable as to the amount of cocaine absorbed by the body.

Cocaine tolerance in the individual. As a result of tolerance effects, regular cocaine users can use higher amounts of cocaine than can a novice. If cocaine has not been used for a while, tolerance effects diminish and a user can suffer an overdose by hitting up with his habitual dose.

The emotional and physical state of the individual. If a person is emotionally stressed, energy depleted and nutritionally deficient the impact of any cocaine dose on the body and mind will be intensified.

The means of delivery. If freebase cocaine is smoked, or cocaine is injected, these delivery methods deliver more cocaine, directly to the brain than snorting.

The presence of other drugs in the body, particularly alcohol, can intensify or moderate cocaine outcomes and symptoms. Strictly speaking cocaine overdose is not the same as an adverse cocaine reaction, due to an allergic response, or when problematic symptoms are caused by negative drug interactions.

There is always a high risk of over dose for cocaine addicts when using cocaine - the difference between toxicity and amounts used to get high diminishes with frequent use. The amount of cocaine taken can never be exactly predicted. Much will depend on the purity of the cocaine, and what substances it has been cut with.

Some people appear to be especially sensitive to the stimulant properties of cocaine. People who become edgy and nervous as a result of drinking coffee containing caffeine are likely to be sensitive to the stimulant effects of cocaine. Such people who are intolerant of stimulants can overdose on a standard dose of cocaine, or relatively low amounts.

Statistics

In 2009, The Telegraph in the United Kingdom reported a 20% increase in cocaine overdose deaths for the preceding year, a total of 235 deaths out of 1,738 deaths attributed to general drug overdose in 2008. This increase was compared with 156 cocaine o/d deaths in 2004 - a more than 50% rise in 4 years.

The then Liberal Democratic health spokesman Norman Lamb said that drug strategies were not working - calling on Ministers to re-think their strategy before more lives are lost. the 2008 figures for cocaine use showed an increase of 25% in cocaine use - to a total of almost a million adults in the UK using cocaine, with half of all cocaine users aged between 16-24. Actual death from cocaine overdose is relatively rare - however minor overdose with cocaine use, that causes discomfort but not a need for hospitalization, is common and can affect cocaine users regardless of tolerance or experience.

In the USA, deaths from cocaine overdose are reported to have peaked in 2007, and since then declined for both 2008 and 2009. In 2007, in the USA prescription drug overdose caused more deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.

However, although cocaine overdose deaths declined in the USA for the year 2008 - there were still a reported 482,000 Emergency Room visits due to cocaine adverse side effects.

Narconon, a Permanent Solution Against Overdose

In Canada, USA, in the United Kingdom and around the world, Narconon drug rehab for substance abuse effectively treats cocaine addiction.

Narconon cocaine abuse treatment uses a non-traditional addiction recovery program that brings an end to cocaine cravings and complete cocaine addiction recovery.

More Information about why people use cocaine

Information about the Narconon Trois-Rivières Rehab Program