Cocaine 5% / Adrenaline (base) 0.05% nasal drops

Background: The simultaneous use of cocaine and alcohol is highly prevalent and is associated with high numbers of emergency department admissions, primarily due to cardiovascular complications. Aims: To answer the question of whether the co-use of cocaine and alcohol increases the cardiovascular risk compared to the use of cocaine alone. Method: A systematic review of human studies comparing the cardiovascular risk of co-used cocaine and alcohol with the use of cocaine alone. Results: Despite a higher myocardial workload induced by the co-use of cocaine and alcohol and the potentiation of cocaine's cardiovascular effects by alcohol, the findings on the risk and severity of cardiovascular symptoms due to combined use are inconsistent. However, the co-use of cocaine and alcohol clearly leads to higher mortality. Interestingly, the presence of cocaethylene, a unique metabolite generated only via a pharmacokinetic interaction between alcohol and cocaine, carries an 18- to 25-fold increase over the absence of cocaethylene (cocaine-alone users) in the risk of sudden death and is associated with myocardial injury and cardiac arrest, probably due to the inhibition of cardiac ion channels by cocaethylene. Conclusion: Despite the inconsistency in some of the results, it is concluded that the co-use of cocaine and alcohol poses an additional risk of cardiovascular fatalities compared to the use of cocaine alone.

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BackgroundNasotracheal intubation is associated with a risk of epistaxis. Decongestion of the nasal mucosa reduces the risk of epistaxis, and different vasoconstrictors may be used. Cocaine has both decongestive and analgesic properties, but it also has side effects. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate if cocaine decreases the occurrence and severity of epistaxis when administered topically to the nasal mucosa before nasotracheal intubation.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines based on a predefined protocol. We included randomized clinical trials comparing nasal cocaine to active comparators or placebo for nasotracheal intubation. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility and performed data extraction. Relative risk with 95% confidence intervals was calculated. Predefined primary outcome measures were the occurrence and severity of epistaxis. Secondary outcomes were pain, mechanical complications, and patient-centered side effects. The risk of bias was evaluated using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool for randomized trials, and certainty of evidence on outcome level was assessed according to GRADE.ResultsSix trials (n = 457) were included; one trial was judged as having a low risk of bias. All six trials provided information on the occurrence of epistaxis. The meta-analysis did not support a difference in the occurrence of epistaxis between cocaine and its comparators (fixed effect: relative risk 0.90 [95% confidence interval 0.75 to 1.09, I2 of 0%, certainty of evidence: low]). The severity of epistaxis was evaluated on incompatible scales and thus not suitable for meta-analysis. No studies reported on pain or mechanical complications associated with nasotracheal intubation, and data on patient-centered side effects were sparse.ConclusionThis systematic review with meta-analysis demonstrated that the quantity and certainty of evidence on cocaine used for nasotracheal intubation is low and that there is no firm evidence for the benefits and harms of cocaine compared to other vasoconstrictors and topical analgetics or placebo. Consequently, sufficiently powered randomized trials assessing patient-centered outcomes, including outcomes on side effects, should be conducted before firm conclusions on cocaine for nasotracheal intubation can be drawn.Editorial commentEpistaxis can occur with nasotracheal intubation, and topical drug vasoconstrictor effects have been used to reduce this risk. This analysis shows that the evidence base supporting the use of cocaine for reducing the risk of epistaxis in nasotracheal intubation is uncertain.

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IntroductionThis article provides a current narrative review of the medications that may cause halitosis as a side effect. Halitosis is frequently associated with important social, psychological, and emotional aspects of life; therefore, it is crucial for health care providers to be able to diagnose and manage it effectively.MethodsA literature review was conducted using the PubMed and EMBASE/OVID databases between January 2015 and December 2024 to find the latest relevant articles, focusing on systematic reviews and literature published between 2020 and 2025.ResultsMedications can lead to halitosis (bad breath) either intra- or extra-orally. Research has identified several medications that may cause extra-oral halitosis as a side effect. These include ranitidine, cysteamine, certain antifungals, peppermint oil, aspirin and other NSAIDs, PX-12, silybin, disulfiram, suplatast tosilate, dimethyl sulfoxide, levocarnitine, nitrates and nitrites, paraldehyde, chloral hydrate, and iodine-containing medications. Intra-oral halitosis is mostly related to medications that cause xerostomia and MRONJ as side effects.DiscussionMultiple groups of medications can cause intra- or extra-oral halitosis. prior knowledge about these medications and their underlying mechanisms that will lead to halitosis will enable clinicians to diagnose and manage this condition more effectively. It is also wise for clinicians to consider recreational drugs like crack, cocaine, and smokeless tobacco when looking for the underlying reason for halitosis.SummaryMultiple groups of medications can act as an underlying cause for halitosis. However, more research is needed to monitor halitosis as an independent side effect and to investigate the mechanism by which each medication causes halitosis.

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AbstractThe combination of local anesthetic drugs with epinephrine has conventionally been contraindicated in acral regions due to concerns of potential necrosis caused by compromised blood flow. However, this belief has been challenged since 2001, when studies demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the combination. This review aims to analyze reported cases of acral area necrosis following the use of local anesthesia with epinephrine since 2001. A thorough search was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar using specific keywords to identify articles reporting acral area necrosis caused using local anesthesia and epinephrine. Our search yielded eight publications describing a total of 13 cases of ischemic events in acral areas. These cases involved finger necrosis (five cases), scrotal skin necrosis (two cases), and eyelid necrosis (six cases), following the injection of a combination of epinephrine and lignocaine. The majority of affected patients were female who underwent surgical intervention and reconstruction. The use of epinephrine in local anesthesia offers significant advantages and is generally safe for acral areas. However, the risk of necrosis cannot be entirely eliminated, particularly in patients with compromised vascular function. Adhering to proper guidelines and selecting suitable patients can help mitigate the risk. Phentolamine serves as a potential rescue agent if vascular compromise occurs. Precautionary measures must be taken when using this combination in high-risk patients.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

Cocaine is used as an illicit substance responsible for the most common cause of drug-related death. It is a stimulant that acts on the sympathetic nervous system and cardiovascular system leading to exaggerated, prolonged sympathetic activity due to the accumulation of neurotransmitters. Cardiovascular side effects of cocaine are coronary artery spasms, myocarditis, arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characterized by transient hypokinesis, akinesis, or dyskinesis of the left ventricle (LV) wall with or without apical involvement in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Cocaine-induced TCM is an extremely rare condition emphasizing the need of its prompt diagnosis by the physicians. We present a case report of a 54-year-old male, brought to the emergency department (ED) after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA), found to have TCM in the setting of cocaine use. Clinicians need to understand the association between cocaine use and the development of TCM as cardiomyopathy of this type can result in complete remission after discontinuing the offending agent.

Abstract licence: CC BY