@article {Rajab848, author = {R Rajab and E Stearns and S Baithun}, title = {Autopsy pathology of cocaine users from the Eastern district of London: a retrospective cohort study}, volume = {61}, number = {7}, pages = {848--850}, year = {2008}, doi = {10.1136/jcp.2007.054569}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group}, abstract = {Aim: To establish the most frequent pathological findings encountered at postmortem examination during the investigation of a fatality with a history of cocaine abuse.Methods: Autopsied deaths investigated by the coroner for the Eastern district of London, between 2004 and 2007, in which the decedent had positive toxicology for cocaine were identified (nā€Š=ā€Š28). The autopsy records and histology of tissue taken at autopsy were retrieved and reviewed. Pathological findings (gross and microscopic, including cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, renal and neurological) were collated.Results: The main pathological findings at autopsy occurring in this cohort (comprising predominantly men, mean age 31 years), were cardiovascular: left ventricular hypertrophy (46\%), multifocal myocardial fibrosis (21\%), coronary artery disease (29\%), cerebrovascular disease (36\%) and pulmonary oedema (71\%). Hepatic steatosis (29\%) and gastrointestinal haemorrhage (18\%), due mostly to gastric erosions/ulceration, were also frequent findings.Conclusions: During a coroner{\textquoteright}s autopsy of a cocaine user, a thorough cardiac examination combined with cardiac tissue sampling for histology, are valuable investigations, which are most likely to help show pathology relevant to the cause of death.}, issn = {0021-9746}, URL = {https://jcp.bmj.com/content/61/7/848}, eprint = {https://jcp.bmj.com/content/61/7/848.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Clinical Pathology} }