MEDICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO ADDICTION
Alcohol
Gastrointestinal: esophagitis, Mallory-Weiss tear, gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, fatty liver, alcohol-induced hepatitis, cirrhosis, acute or chronic pancreatitis
Cardiovascular: hypertension, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease
Neurological: Wernicke's encephalopathy, alcohol-related dementia, cerebellar degeneration, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, seizures
Hematological: thrombocytopenia, anemia
Neoplastic: cancers of the esophagus, liver, and pancreas
Other: sexual dysfunction, sleep disorders, vitamin B deficiency, peripheral myopathy
Nicotine
Cardiovascular: coronary artery disease, vascular disease
Respiratory: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Neoplastic: cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and lung
Cocaine
Cardiovascular: ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, aortic dissection, myocardial infarction
Respiratory: spontaneous pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, bronchitis, pneumonitis and bronchospasm (when smoked)
Neurological: seizures, stroke
Other: sinusitis, nasal irritation, septal bleeding and perforation (with intranasal use), HIV and hepatitis (with intravenous use), weight loss and malnutrition
Opioids (when used intravenously)
Gastrointestinal: acute and chronic viral hepatitis
Cardiovascular: endocarditis
Respiratory: tuberculosis (which may be treatment resistant)
Neurological: meningitis
Other: cellulitis, abscesses, osteomyelitis, HIV
Gastrointestinal disease; Cardiovascular disease; Neurological disease; Respiratory disease have grown to be some of the most expensive public health and medical issues in Los Angeles and Orange County. Los Angeles and Orange County devote millions of dollars annually in public health and medical services due to substance use and related gastrointestinal disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, respiratory disease.
If you have questions whether you or a loved one has a problem with drug use or alcohol use or if you believe you or a loved one may be an addict please click here.
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