CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH COCAINE-RELATED CHEST PAIN

Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels were measured in patients who came to an emergency department complaining of acute chest pain. For subjects not receiving prior oxygen therapy, those with cocaine-related chest p ain (n = 10) had a higher mean COHb level than a comparison group (n = 28) with nonischemic chest pain (4.50 +/- 2.40 vs 2.73 +/- 0.66; p < 0.05). Four of the seven (57 percent) who smoked crack had COHb levels greater than 4.5 percent, while only one of six (17 percent) smokers of only tobacco had such a level. These findings suggest an additional mechanism, the formation of COHb, which could aggravate cocaine-induc ed cardiotoxicity.