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A case of cocaine-induced basilar artery thrombosis

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Abstract

Background A 40-year-old man presented to an emergency department with slurred speech, diplopia and agitation several hours after cocaine use. His level of consciousness rapidly dropped in the hours following presentation.

Investigations Physical examination, CT scan of the head, cerebral angiography.

Diagnosis Cocaine-induced basilar artery thrombosis.

Management Intra-arterial thombolysis, mechanical clot aspiration, intravenous abciximab, neurointensive care support, rehabilitation at a specialist stroke unit.

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Figure 1: Brain CT scan in a patient with cocaine-induced basilar artery thrombosis.
Figure 2: Angiography in a patient with cocaine-induced basilar artery thrombosis.

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Acknowledgements

Désirée Lie, University of California, Irvine, CA, is the author of and is solely responsible for the content of the learning objectives, questions and answers of the Medscape-accredited continuing medical education activity associated with this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. C MacEwen holds an ST3 post in Renal Medicine at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, M Ward is a Consultant Physician in Acute General Medicine and Geratology, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, and A Buchan is a Consultant Stroke Neurologist and holds a Chair in Clinical Geratology at the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,

    Clare MacEwen, Mike Ward & Alastair Buchan

Authors
  1. Clare MacEwen
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  2. Mike Ward
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  3. Alastair Buchan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clare MacEwen.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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MacEwen, C., Ward, M. & Buchan, A. A case of cocaine-induced basilar artery thrombosis. Nat Rev Neurol 4, 622–626 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpneuro0879

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