Cocaine: friend or foe? (Part 1).

The history of cocaine use goes back a long time. Initially, cocaine was used as a medicine by physicians and as a pleasure agent in over-the-counter preparations. The significance and intensity of cocaine use and abuse became well known soon thereafter and resulted in extensive regulations to curb its use. Cocaine is a powerful anesthetic agent with powerful vasoconstrictive properties. It can be absorbed from all mucous membrane sites and results in severe cardiovascular complications. The effects of cocaine on various organ systems are presented here.