Addiction Medicine Specialist | Addiction Medicine Questions

Cocaine and perindopril

Can you take an ACE INHIBITOR after doing cocaine? Would it help reduce the hypertension?

Thanks

Male | 25 years old
Medications: Perindopril
Conditions: Hypertension, cocaine addiction

1 Answer

cocaine is a chronotropic- affecting heart rate- and ionotropic- increasing strengh of contraction- drug for the heart muscle.
It also constricts blood vessels- that's why ENT surgeons use it for topical anesthesia, because it decreases bleeding.
Faster heart rate +increased strength of contraction against increased resistenc (constricted blood vessels) equals elevated blood pressure. So, by using cocaine, your blood pressure med probably doesn't work and you're setting yourself up for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, etc. \