Can cocaine abuse exacerbate the cardiac toxicity of human immunodeficiency virus?

Both cocaine use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection alone hav e been associated with an increased incidence of cardiac dysfunction. Conco mitant exposure to cocaine and HIV infection may exacerbate the cardiac tox icity of either agent alone, a hypothesis that is examined in this review a rticle. A possible unifying hypothesis based on enhancement of adrenergic s timulation is proposed.