Drug Reaction in the Body

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Institution

Introduction

Recent times have seen a tremendous increase in substance use and abuse. It is worth noting that there exists some variations as to the magnitude of abuse depending on the drug. However, studies show that prescription drugs are some of the most highly abused drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). These findings may be attributed to the fact that prescription drugs are more accessible than nonprescription drugs. One of the most abused substances is cocaine, which is mainly accessible as a nonprescription drug. Cocaine refers to a strongly addictive stimulant drug that comes in powdery form, which may be administered through smoking, injecting or snorting . The drug also goes by the street name crack, thanks to the cracking sound that it produces when it is heated. As much as there are variations as to the speed of addictiveness depending on the administration method, it is worth noting that the three administration methods may result in addiction, as well as other health complications including HIV.

The duration and intensity of the drug’s effects depends on the administration method. The intensity of the high increases with the speed with which the drug has been absorbed into an individual’s bloodstream and carried to the brain. Taking the drug through injection produces a stronger and quicker high than smoking and snorting. However, the higher the speed of absorption, the shorter the action duration. This means that an individual who consumes cocaine through injection may experience the high for a shorter duration than an individual who snots. In essence, he would have to take the drug after a short time. This gives way for binge smoking, where an individual would consume the drug after every few seconds.

Even more worrying, however, is the reaction of cocaine in the body. The drug is known to be a strong central nervous system stimulant, which increases the dopamine levels in the reward circuit of the brain. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is associated with movement and pleasure. In normal circumstances, neurons release dopamine in response to pleasurable signals, after which the dopamine would be recycled to the brain’s neurons thereby hindering signals between the neurons (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). However, cocaine prevents the recycle of dopamine resulting in a buildup of neurotransmitters. This amplifies the communication between neurons, which disrupts normal communication. This is what produces euphoric effects. When used repeatedly, cocaine causes permanent alterations in the reward system, as well as other systems of the brain, which leads to addiction. Continued use of cocaine leads to buildup of tolerance, in which case every subsequent dose of cocaine comes with less effectiveness than the previous dose.

Cocaine use comes with a number of effects on the health of the individual. These include an increase in blood pressure, the heart rate, and body temperature, as well as constriction of blood vessels, as well as dilation of pupils (Fraser, et al, 1999). In addition, it may cause gastrointestinal complications, decrease in appetite, headaches. Some effects are related to the method in which the drug was administered (Fraser, et al, 1999). For example, snorting may cause nosebleeds, loss of sense of smell, hoarseness and swallowing problems, as well as chronically runny nose. Some of the severe effects of abusing cocaine include heart attack, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular emergencies or even sudden death.

In conclusion, cocaine’s action time depends on the administration method. Nevertheless, it affects an individual by interfering by his neurotransmission, which may lead to addiction in the long term. Some effects include runny nose, loss of appetite and variation in blood pressure, as well as severe effects such as heart attacks or even death.

References

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drug facts: Cocaine. Web 2010, retrieved 8th June 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine” http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine

Fraser RS, Müller NL, Colman N, & Paré PD (1999). Diagnosis of diseases of the chest: Drugs. Philadelphia: Saunders

(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010) (Fraser, et al, 1999)