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Cocaine Case Study Response

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Cocaine Case Study Response In assessing the 31-year-old male law student for chronic cocaine use, he does meet the DSM criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). He has been using cocaine for two years. He has increased the amount of cocaine used as well as the frequency of use. This is evidence of tolerance. He felt this stimulated his performance and ability to study at night. He changed his method of abuse from insufflation (snorting) to intravenous (IV) administration for a more intense “high”. This has resulted in a very expensive habit. This expense led him to selling (dealing) cocaine to friends to help support his habit. It seems the extra work involved to support his cocaine habit would take time away from his studies. Additionally, …show more content…

Since he did not smoke the cocaine, his lungs should be functioning normally. He should be assessed for coronary artery disease (CAD) (clogged arteries), hypertension (elevated blood pressure), sudden dissection of the coronary arteries (tearing of the vessel wall), cardiac ischemia (reduced blood flow to the heart), tachycardia (rapid heart rate), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart), cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythm), and heart failure (heart unable to pump blood as well as it should). Cocaine abuse may contribute to liver disease, decreased gastric motility (slowing digestion), bowel perforation (hole in stomach or intestine), gangrene of bowel, and ischemia (decreased blood flow to the bowel resulting in death of part of the bowel). Central nervous system (CNS) damage may occur with cocaine abuse. Cerebral atrophy (a loss of neuron cells) leads to a decrease in cognitive functioning with deficits in verbal learning, memory, and attention. Cocaine abuse leads to strokes, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs- mini strokes), seizures, malignant hyperthermia (elevated body temperature with severe muscle contractions), and damage to the blood-brain barrier exposing the brain to bacterial, fungal, or viral contaminants which could lead to …show more content…

Everyone must have a treatment plan to address his or her needs with available services to meet these needs. Examples are family therapy, mental health services, educational training, and housing services. He will respond to treatment appropriately if his concerns have been dealt with. Regardless of how the individual became addicted to cocaine, he is a victim of the drug. It’s critical for the person to receive encouragement and

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