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Cocaine use disorder

Last reviewed: 13 Sep 2025
Last updated: 22 May 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • hypertension
  • tachycardia
  • chest pain
  • mydriasis
  • diaphoresis
  • tremulousness
  • agitation (mild to severe)
  • mood changes (e.g., irritability, euphoria, dysphoria, paranoia)
  • suicide ideation
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • anxiety (panic state: mild to severe)
  • drug-induced formication
  • previous hospitalization for medically supervised withdrawal
  • heat-related injuries (e.g., blisters, sores, and cuts on the mouth) or burns on the thumbs
  • nasal septum ulceration, perforation
  • focal neurologic abnormalities
  • seizure activity
  • loss of consciousness/altered consciousness
  • skin lesions (e.g., puncture marks, infections, erosions, necrosis)
  • dyspnea
Full details

Risk factors

  • adverse childhood events
  • history of polysubstance use
  • family history of substance use disorders
  • history of mental health disorder
  • male sex
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • urine toxicology ± gas chromatography/mass spectrometry testing
  • ECG
  • cardiac enzymes
Full details

Tests to consider

  • chest x-ray
  • CT head
  • electroencephalogram
  • comprehensive blood panel
  • hepatitis serology
  • HIV serology
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

acute intoxication

nonpregnant adults and adolescents: mild cocaine use disorder

nonpregnant adults and adolescents: moderate to severe cocaine use disorder

pregnant

ONGOING

sustained remission

treatment resistant

Contributors

Authors

Kim Wolff, MBE, PhD

Professor of Analytical, Forensic, and Addiction Science, Director, King’s Forensics

Faculty Life Science and Medicine

King’s College London

London

UK

Disclosures

KW declares that she has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Professor Kim Wolff would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Steven B. Karch, the previous contributor to this topic.

Disclosures

SBK is an author of a number of references cited in this topic. SBK gives expert testimony and receives royalties from a textbook that he authored.

Peer reviewers

Andrew J. Saxon, MD

Professor

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

University of Washington School of Medicine

Seattle

WA

Disclosures

AS declares that he receives royalties from UpToDate, Inc.

Adam Bisaga, MD

Professor

Clinical Psychiatry

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

New York City

NY

Disclosures

AB declares that his research team and institution received funding and medication donations from Alkermes.

Christos Kouimtsidis, MBBS, MSc, MRCPsych, PhD

Consultant Psychiatrist and Honorary Senior Lecturer

Addictions, Alcohol Research

Institute of Psychiatry

King's College London

London

UK

Declarações

CK declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

Referências

Nossas equipes internas de editoria e de evidências trabalham em conjunto com colaboradores internacionais especializados e pares revisores para garantir que forneçamos acesso às informações o mais clinicamente relevantes possível.

Principais artigos

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022.

Clinical Guideline Committee (CGC) Members, ASAM Team, AAAP Team, et al. The ASAM/AAAP clinical practice guideline on the management of stimulant use disorder. J Addict Med. 2024 May-Jun 01;18(1s suppl 1):1-56.Texto completo  Resumo

Department of Health and Social Care. Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management. Dec 2017 [internet publication].Texto completo

World Health Organization. Guidelines for identification and management of substance use and substance use disorders in pregnancy. Nov 2014 [internet publication].Texto completo

Artigos de referência

Uma lista completa das fontes referenciadas neste tópico está disponível para os usuários com acesso total ao BMJ Best Practice.
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