HEART HEMORRHAGE

One may die suddenly and unexpectedly when using cocaine without ever having taken the drug before, and without taking an overdose.  Sudden cardiac death may occur in two different ways.  The cocaine user may suffer a sudden cardiac arrhythmia (an abnormal heart rhythm), or the cocaine may cause the blood vessels in the heart to constrict to such a degree that the blood flow to some areas of the heart is cut off.  If this happens, the heart muscle is deprived of the blood it needs to continue beating.  If death is immediate, there is very little damage to be seen when the heart is examined at autopsy.  However, if death occurs after a period of time, then we can see visible changes in the heart muscle.

This photo shows the heart of a young cocaine addict who entered the hospital complaining of difficulty breathing.  He later died.  Since his death occurred several days after the damage to the heart, there was enough time to produce visible changes (i.e. hemorrhaging or bleeding) within the heart muscle, as indicated by the arrow.

Basketball player Len Bias suffered sudden cardiac death in 1986 soon after he signed a contract to play with the Boston Celtics.  It was reported that it was the first time he had ever used cocaine.

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