DRUG ABUSE CAN LEAD TO BRAIN HAEMORRHAGES - STUDY

Doctors should examine cases of brain haemorrhage in young adults for
evidence of damaged blood vessels linked to drug abuse, British
scientists said on Friday.

The scientists studied 13 young haemorrhage patients who had abused
drugs and found nine out of 10 had underlying blood vessel problems.
Three of the study group, with an average age of 31, were not well
enough to undergo examination.

"There is very good evidence that amphetamines actually cause
inflammation of blood vessels in the brain," one of the scientists,
Andrew McEvoy, told Reuters.

"Obviously that can cause aneurysms (blood filled sacs) to develop and
lead to brain haemorrhages."

Cocaine caused blood vessels leading to the brain to spasm,
restricting blood flow and potentially causing a stroke, he said.

McEvoy said stimulants also raised blood pressure -- which doctors
traditionally thought to be the main cause of brain
haemorrhages.

Doctors treating haemorrhage patients who have taken drugs should
refer them to a hospital's neurological or neurosurgical department so
they can be operated on if necessary, McEvoy said.

Brain haemorrhage patients who had abused drugs were found to have
higher mortality rates than those who did not use drugs.

"Especially with cocaine use we found that young adults who you would
expect to do better than older patients actually did worse," McEvoy
said.

The higher death rate may be due to dehydration and malnourishment
among drug abusers, as well as their secretive nature which often
leads them to wait longer before seeking treatment, he said.