Crack cocaine is a form of the drug cocaine that is in bought in the form of hard pellets and smoked using various paraphernalia, as described by Drug-Aware.com. Cocaine can cause damage to a multitude of organs. Even first-time users of crack cocaine can experience a fatal overdose. Proper identification of the symptoms of cocaine overdose can help patients or their friends identify the condition and seek the proper medical attention.
Neurological Effects
Cocaine works by interfering with the function of numerous neurotransmitters, according to The Merck Manual. Neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin are responsible for mood, behavior and other functions of the nervous system.
A crack cocaine overdose can cause anxiety, panic, aggression, insomnia, agitation, paranoia, tremors and seizures. In severe cases, acute psychosis can occur. This is a condition in which the patient experiences hallucinations, delusions and a break from reality.
Dilated Pupils and Excessive Sweating
Cocaine can cause a patient's pupils to dilate, known as mydriasis, and excessive sweating, also called diaphoresis, according to The Merck Manual. In a crack cocaine overdose, these symptoms become even more apparent. A patient will not like to be in bright light because the pupil cannot constrict to block out the excess light. Patients will also start to sweat profusely without any evident reason. In crack cocaine overdose, patients also have an increase in body temperature, which may contribute to the excessive sweat production.
Coma
Patients who have taken crack cocaine may lose consciousness and slip into a coma, according to Psychiatric-Disorders.com. A coma is a state when the patient is unconscious and unresponsive to the outside environment. This is again due to cocaine's effects on the different hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain. Without functioning neurotransmitters, the brain may shut down and force the patient into a coma.
Cardiovascular Symptoms
Cardiovascular refers to the heart and blood vessels. A crack cocaine overdose damages this system and produces various symptoms, according to Drug-Aware.com. Symptoms include increased blood pressure, or hypertension; increased cardiac rate; and heart attacks. The increased blood pressure may also lead to a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or what is commonly referred to as a stroke. The high blood pressure can also lead to renal damage and cause the kidneys to fail.
Death
Unfortunately, crack cocaine overdose often leads to death. Most commonly the death is due to a heart attack; complete respiratory failure; or arrhythmias, which are irregularly fast heartbeats, according to The Merck Manual. This can occur even if the patient is a first-time user of the drug or in patients who have developed a tolerance to cocaine.
