Arteriosclerotic toxicity of cocaine.

The repeated injection of cocaine results in the formation of arteriosclerotic lesions in rabbits, which appear to be similar to early arteriosclerotic lesions seen in man. Biochemically, the aortas exhibited increased rates of protein synthesis, without any change in tissue cholesterol content. The cocaine-treated rabbits exhibited no change in serum cholesterol levels. These data suggest that the abuse of cocaine may result in damage to the aorta, which could result in the premature onset of cardiovascular disease and its complications.