Parkinsonism Associated With Long-term Cocaine Abuse

Abstract

Cocaine abuse may produce several medical complications.¹Reported neurologic complications include headache, seizures, focal neurologic defects due to ischemia and/or hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and exacerbation of the symptoms of Tourette syndrome.^1-3We describe a patient in whom parkinsonism developed in association with long-term cocaine abuse, a complication not previously reported, to our knowledge. <h3>Report of a Case.</h3> A 35-year-old man with a 20-year history of drug addiction had consumed amphetamine and cannabis until he was 20 years old. After that, he began using both intranasal and intravenous cocaine several days a week. He complained of having evolution tremors for 1 year. The tremors, which began in his right arm and later affected his left arm as well, made it impossible for him to do his job for the last 2 months before he came to the hospital. Physical examination revealed a loss of corporal mobility and facial expression.