Effect of Long-Term Cocaine Use on Regional Left Ventricular Function as Determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

This study examined left ventricular (LV) regional midwall circumferential strain by cardiac tagged magnetic resonance imaging in 32 long-term cocaine users and 14 nonusers. Most of the LV segmentations in the cocaine users had less average circumferential strain in the systolic and diastolic phases. The average diastolic strain in 5 ventricular segmentations was significantly less in the cocaine users (p <0.05). In conclusion, long-term cocaine use may be associated with regional LV dysfunction, especially diastolic dysfunction.