Longitudinal substance use following an emergency department visit for cocaine-associated chest pain

Substance abuse is a chronic, relapsing condition, yet some individuals over time seem to cease use for factors that are largely unclear. A life threatening episode of cocaine-associated chest pain requiring an emergency department (ED) visit may influence subsequent use. A consecutive cohort (n = 219) of patients who presented to a large, urban ED with cocaine-associated chest pain was interviewed at baseline, three months, six months, and 12 months to evaluate longitudinal rates of subsequent drug use. Overall, there was a significant decrease in cocaine use overtime (baseline = 100.0%, three months = 56.5%, six months = 54.2%, and 12 months = 51.7%, p < .05 for baseline versus each follow-up interval). Findings suggest that substance use declines following an ED visit for cocaine-related chest pain. However, about half of the subjects were still using cocaine one year later. Future studies examining the potential impact of brief interventions or case management to intervene with this not-in-treatment ED population are warranted.