New York – Sometimes Doctors are baffled when young, otherwise healthy students present with reports of chest pain. There appears to be no reason for their pain, and they seem to be in otherwise excellent health. Well, in a report issued on Monday from the American Heart Association, sometimes the culprit can be simple: Drug Use — in particular, Cocaine.
Many doctors see a young healthy vibrant patient and no other evidence of drug use and they automatically discount the possibility of any illicit drug use. But the truth maybe more complicated, according to the AHA.
In such cases, physicians need to be bold and consider all possibilities, and should inquire of the patient concerning possible drug use. Doctors should rule out the use of cocaine and other illicit drugs because not doing so can affect their treatment adversely, according to a statement released by the American Heart Association.
“If we don’t ask, and treat with clot busting drugs, or beta blockers for a heart attack, and the patient has used cocaine, the results can be dangerous, or even fatal in some cases,” said Dr. James McCord.
Dr. McCord is Director of Cardiology at Henry Ford Medical Center in Detroit. Dr. McCord participated in several studies whose results have partly led up to the AMA warning.
“If the patient is awake and alert you need to say: ‘Hey its important for us to save your life, could this be drug related?” said Dr. McCoy. “Even if the patient gets offended, its better to ask than be sorry later,” said McCoy. The studies that were done that led up to the AHA statement and recommendations were all done in the last five to ten years.
The medical Journal “Circulation” was the first to publish the American Heart Association Warning.
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